Thy Child
by Sailor Elf
Summary: The war is over and everyone is trying to adjust to their new lives. But when both Legolas and Nanaylia, along with her newborn child, suddenly disappear into thin air, past secrets and tales that almost everyone forgot begin to surface.
1. The Beginnings of a New Life

Disclaimer - No one from Lord of the Rings belong to me. (Darn!) Nanaylia and any other characters you don't recognize belong to me.

Summary - The war is over and everyone is trying to adjust to their new lives. But when both Legolas and Nanaylia, along with her newborn child, suddenly disappear into thin air, past secrets and tales that almost everyone forgot begin to surface.

Author's Note - I've had a few hints hidden in my stories since the beginning. Enough said.

00000

Thy Child

Nanaylia smiled as she stared at herself in the mirror. Arwen was standing next to her, smiling as she watched her friend's every move. Chimone stepped back into the room carrying a vase with several flowers sitting within it.

"I cannot believe this is happening," she whispered to herself as she absently rubbed a hand over her stomach. "I am wed to the elf I love and I am carrying his child."

"You look wonderful Nanaylia. It has been so long since I have seen you so beautiful, I almost cannot remember," Chimone told her with a smile.

Nanaylia gave her a sad smile before looking at the floor. Chimone sighed and knew she said something that brought back some long forgotten memories. Arwen stepped up to her friend and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"What is wrong, Nanaylia?" wondered Arwen.

Even before she asked the question, both elves knew what was going through Nanaylia's mind and it concerned them too.

"I worry for Legolas," replied the younger elf.

Both elves weren't the least bit surprised with the comment. Both of them knew that it hadn't been that far from her mind ever since the incident happened. What did slightly surprise them was the fact it came out of the blue during the conversation.

"Nanaylia, please do no think that any of this is your fault! You could not have possibly known what Shentree was up to when she followed your brother from Rivendell!" Chimone protested.

"Yet I never wanted it to be like this. When I returned after my lengthy stay in the Dark Forest, I had a belief that he should never have to suffer what I had to for centuries. But it is too late now," Nanaylia told her in a quiet voice. "And my child might have to as well, with the magic that remained in my blood from Manlin's meddling."

"Yes. I also hate to see that. It is so sad that it is something you are going to have for the rest of your life," agreed Chimone. "That incident is completely past us and Legolas has recovered from his own 'little' adventure. Elladan is with you again and your father is very proud of you after everything that you have done to protect and help your brother."

Nanaylia gazed at the elf that helped her father take care of her and her brother for so long with a questioning look on her face. Chimone nodded, though the smile on her face faltered slightly and it was enough to make Nanaylia worry.

"Elladan and I have been patiently waiting for this child to arrive. It has been almost a year yet it has felt like an eternity. Between the right time to tell our families and the war, we are more than ready to be parents. My father had mixed reactions when I finally told him that I was with child and who the father was," Nanaylia replied.

"All I am asking you is please be careful. I do not want anything to happen to your child before they come," Chimone told her, placing a hand on the younger elf's shoulder.

"Do not worry for I shall be careful now. I do not have to go out and protect my older brother from an unseen demon," Nanaylia told her.

Chimone nodded, though she wasn't fully reassured about the child. She had an uneasy feeling and Nanaylia could tell. Something about the coming birth was deeply troubling the confidante.

"Nothing will be amiss Chimone. This child growing within me is more than fine. I cannot explain it but somehow, I just know," Nanaylia told them.

Nanaylia headed over towards the window and leaned against the sill. Arwen watched her as Chimone placed a hand on her arm. The older elf motioned that they should leave and Arwen slowly agreed. They silently made their way for the door when they heard a voice call out to them.

"Chimone, Arwen, do not go just yet," Nanaylia suddenly said.

"What is the matter?" Chimone asked, becoming slightly worried. "Is it the baby?"

Both Chimone and Arwen returned to her side and they stared out at the fields outside.

"I wish my mother were here. I really want her to see this but I know she will never be here. She will never see her grandchild," Nanaylia said in a quiet voice.

Chimone lowered her head slightly. She could not imagine how the younger was elf was feeling about her mother. Ever since the elf was proclaimed dead all those centuries ago, it was hard not to think about the many times that she had stepped in to fill all those maternal roles for both her and Legolas.

'_If there was only a way I could tell you how proud I am of your children,'_ she thought to herself.

00000

Elladan was pacing nervously back and forth in his room. Aragorn and Legolas were watching him.

"Elladan, calm down or else you are going to wear a hole in the floor. Everything is going to be fine," Aragorn told him.

"I know. I am just worried about Nanaylia. She is due with our child during the time that we are in Minas Tirith," Elladan replied.

"It was a consensual agreement that you and Nanaylia made to stay now. You know that," Legolas told him.

"What I know is with Aragorn recently being crowned king, he will not have too much time to spend with us but we both understand. We only wanted to get away from the pressures that Rivendell and Mirkwood provide us for a little while," Elladan said with a nod of his head.

Aragorn remained silent, taking in the information. They heard the door open nearby and they looked to see Elrohir walk into the room.

"Who is going where?" asked Elrohir, seeming slightly confused.

"Elladan and Nanaylia are going to be staying with Arwen and myself here in Minas Tirith for a while," Aragorn replied.

"Then I am staying as well," Elrohir protested.

Elrohir received dumbfounded looks from everyone else in the room. A smirk appeared on his face before deciding to respond to the unspoken inquiry.

"Listen, if you and Nanaylia were going off by yourselves to some private little grove, I would not invite myself along. But you are not so I am staying," he told them

Elladan rolled his eyes at his brother, causing everyone around him to laugh. Elrohir crossed his arms, waiting for the inevitable response from an enraged brother.

"You are not staying here!" Elladan protested.

"I am too. I mean, if you are going to be with Aragorn and Arwen, I cannot see why I cannot stay as well. I promise I will not get in your way," Elrohir told him.

The door began to open again. Everyone turned to see who it was and it completely opened to reveal Elrond and Thranduil. Everyone smiled as they walked up to the trio.

"So how is everyone doing?" wondered Elrond.

"Fine, even after finding out my brother and his new wife is staying here in Gondor after everything that has happened. Can you believe this Father?" Elrohir replied as he walked towards his father.

Elrond nodded his head, causing Elrohir to drop his jaw. The curious eyes on Elrohir's face made Elrond wonder how much the twins told each other anymore.

"I knew all about this and it would surprise all of you to know that I plan to stay as well," Elrond told them.

Everyone appeared shocked with the news. They glanced between each other, unsure how to deal with this revelation.

"Why is this Lord Elrond? Is it because the child is due during her stay in Gondor?" Aragorn asked.

"Yes, it is. Do not ask any further as to why I have to stay. I do not have to explain myself to you or anyone else, not even my own family," Elrond coldly told him.

Aragorn glanced over at the twins, who were just as confused as he was. He had to ask what was so special about this birth that was so different from any other. Thranduil narrowed his eyes, wondering what there was about his daughter that even he didn't know.

_'Why does Elrond believe he has to stay as well? There are people to help deliver the child here. Unless he knows something he's not letting on. That has to be it. But what could it possibly be?' _Aragorn thought to himself.

Aragorn decided not to press it any further. Neither Elladan nor Elrohir decided to say anything else either. Though they were all interested as to why Elrond felt he had to stay. Thranduil watched as Elrond turned around and stepped out of the room. The Elven king cocked his head to one side, a very interested look written on his face. Placing a hand on his chin, the thoughts swirled through his mind.

'_I will have to ask him soon about what I need to know. He obviously knows something about my children that even I am not aware,'_ he thought.

TBC...


	2. Curious Thoughts

Nanaylia hummed to herself as she walked down the hallway. Barely paying to anything, her sole focus was the book sitting in her hands. When she bumped into someone, she lifted her head enough to step around the person.

"I apologize for that. I was not looking," she mumbled.

She began to make her way back down the hall when a hand grasped her elbow. The elf's head snapped up and she smiled once she realized who was standing beside her.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" wondered Aragorn.

"This book I found in the library is absolutely fascinating. I could not wait to read it," Nanaylia responded.

Aragorn gave a small laugh as he tried to catch a glimpse of the cover. Noticing his reaction, she lifted the book for him to see. The man narrowed his eyes a bit once he saw the title and became visibly distraught.

"There's a book like that here in Minas Tirith?" he questioned.

He pointed at the cover. She stole a glance to where he was pointing and nodded, mildly perplexed. The elf turned her attention back towards where she recently came from.

"There are a few books here about magic and even for these, I had to dig deep. I thought you might have known about them. I cannot even begin to tell you how old they are. I was hoping they would give us some insight of those who lived long ago," she replied.

Aragorn gave a sigh yet the concern was still plainly written on his face. The thought greatly disturbed him that men had the chance to learn – and perform – magic within the halls of Minas Tirith for centuries. He waved it off, knowing that neither of his resident Mirkwood elves would do anything dangerous with this newfound knowledge.

At least he hoped they wouldn't.

00000

"There is no way you are going to persuade me to do that," Legolas huffed.

The blonde-haired elf had his arms crossed and attached to it, was a stern look on his face. Beside him, two dark-haired elves were being more on the playful side. With a cheeky smile on his face, Elrohir gently prodded Legolas in the shoulder.

"You would make quite the hunter now that you have these abilities. Are you certain you do not want to show them off?" questioned Elrohir.

Legolas shot the twin a hard look. Elladan covered his mouth and the smile that sat on it. He knew the recent circumstances were not the most pleasant for Legolas or any of them for that matter. Now that it was all over, he supposed that the very _idea_ of persuading Legolas to use his newfound powers was all too tempting.

"Are you certain Legolas? We would be absolutely _captivated_ by the transformation," Elladan questioned.

Legolas moved his eyes enough to stare at Elladan. The Mirkwood elf could see the smile on his face. He knew the two of them were taunting him to see how long he'd last. All three of them had seen Nanaylia transform several times before and knew how much pain it entailed. He hadn't transformed since he returned to his elven form and he knew it would be a while before he was ready.

"Yes, I am positive. You both know we do not want the general public to know of our…predicament," Legolas hesitated for a moment. "I still cannot comprehend how you two find this funny."

Elrohir slowly quieted his laughing and crossed his arms. He stared at his friend, giving a sigh in the process. Lowering his head slightly, he couldn't help but feel a small twinge of guilt.

"What is the matter Elrohir? Have a change of heart?" wondered Legolas.

"I am undecided," he replied with a smile on his face.

"Face it Elrohir, he will not agree to it yet," Elladan piped up.

Elrohir lifted his hands as if saying 'oh well' before stepping around his brother and friend. The two watched as he walked out of the room. Elladan's stare returned to Legolas and gave a smile.

"Now how about what we were talking about earlier?" questioned Elladan.

"I certainly still want to head out with you in search of those flowers. I will make certain that you get back in time for your child's birth. I cannot wait for the next few weeks to go by. I know I am eager to greet my newest relation," Legolas replied with a smile before stopping. "Just do not ask me to transform while we are away because I will not do so unless I _absolutely_ have to do it."

Legolas held out his hand and Elladan took it with a smile written across his face. Both gave a laugh as they began to make their way out of the room.

00000

Elrond walked down the hallway, glancing down each and every hallway he came across. He knew that if he came across anyone, they would be asking questions to whom or what he was searching for. It was the one thing to which he did not want to answer it was the _why_ he was looking. In the back of his mind, the thought that Elladan had been away from the citadel, even for the short period of time that he was, unnerved him.

Out of nowhere, Nanaylia stepped out from a side passageway. She glanced up from the book she was reading and gave a giant smile.

"Elrond, how are you?" she wondered.

The elven lord stopped in his tracks and gave a barely audible sigh as he stepped towards her. As he moved forward, the smile on Nanaylia's face disappeared and a look of alarm crossed her features.

"What is the matter Elrond?" she questioned.

Her worry slowly dissipated when he placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a smile. Elrond shook his head as he began to lead Nanaylia down the hallway.

"Nothing is the matter. I was a little worried about you but now that I know that you are fine, I shall not worry," he replied.

Nanaylia gave him an 'are you serious?' stare. She gave an exasperated sigh as she stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"If you are worried about the child growing within me, your fears are unwarranted. I have this feeling that everything will be fine with my child. Please believe me," she tried to assure him

Elrond gave her a fake smile and nodded.

"That is true. All I am asking is for you to be careful. Please, stay close to Elladan. It is late and the child will be arriving before we know it," he requested.

"I saw him earlier. He had to quickly do something with Legolas first. I do not know where he went to exactly but he knows that I have been spending a lot of my time in the library. I know he will find me soon enough," Nanaylia told him.

Elrond gave a slightly worried smile. He passed by her and headed down the hallway, leaving a very confused Nanaylia behind. She narrowed her eyes, wondering why Elrond was extremely protective of his grandchild.

"This does not make sense at all. I know he has seen the birth of many children from several different races yet he seems to be beyond paranoid over the birth of this particular child. I have to wonder why. This cannot be because this is his grandchild," she muttered.

She headed back down towards the library, her stare finding its way back to the book sitting within her hands. Along the way, she felt a slight twinge within her stomach, causing her to stop dead in her tracks. Placing a hand on her bulging stomach, she slightly closed her eyes with mild discomfort.

"You are certainly rolling around in there. I desire to meet you when you finally come but first, I have to find another book to read," she quietly told her child.

She made her way towards the library, humming to herself. As she stepped through the doors, she made her way towards the area where she found the books. As she placed the books back on the shelf, the twinge within her stomach came back. This time, however, the pain soon followed in her side.

"What kind of pain is this supposed to be?" she wondered.

She clutched her stomach as she sat on the chair, unable to move or breathe. When a stab came to her stomach, she couldn't help but scream.

00000

Elrond sat in his room, almost in a daze. The paper sat on the desk in front of him. The words written before him had slightly faded over time but the meaning of them was as fresh as the first day he read them.

"I only wish it could be another way but a promise is a promise and I shall honour it to the end," he muttered.

He lifted the letter again to read the words he had already read a million times already. Elrond's mind drifted back to the day he found it sitting on his desk in Rivendell and its request inside.

"Sometimes, I wish I never found out, Alarya and I have always wondered how you kept it hidden for so long from everyone you deeply cared for. Sometimes, I wonder if they will ever find out," he mused.

Out of nowhere, a gust of wind filled the room, scattering the papers around the room. Elrond managed to keep his hold on the letter as the candles were blown out. The room was plunged into semi-darkness as a raven appeared within the middle of the room. Elrond gave a sigh, rolling his eyes slightly.

"Do not think I was not going to start to look for her soon. She knows the child's time is close. She only had to find another book to read in the library," Elrond assured the bird.

The raven cocked its head to one side, as if studying the elf and a caw abruptly popped out of its mouth. Elrond slightly shook his head and gave a sigh.

"Yes, I know. You have reminded me several times already," he replied.

The raven didn't appear to be amused whatsoever. It ruffled its feathers and gave a squawk. The colour drained from Elrond's face as he realized what it was trying to say.

He ran out of the room.

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Aragorn stepped down the hallway, humming to himself. He found himself quickly glancing between the few papers sitting in his hand. He barely took notice of the Elven Lord barreling towards him.

"Aragorn!" cried Elrond.

Startled, the man glanced up to see a very worried elf. Aragorn narrowed his eyes at how the normally calm Elrond seemed to be so frantic.

"Elrond, what's the matter?" demanded Aragorn.

"Have you seen Nanaylia lately?" Elrond questioned.

The question quickly sunk in and he shook his head before Elrond headed down the hallway yet again. This time, Aragorn followed him.

"Last thing I knew, she was still in the library," Aragorn replied.

Elrond didn't reply, changing his direction slightly towards the library. He slammed open the doors and began searching behind every shelf. His ears barely picked up the whimpering that came from within the room. The two followed it to the back where they found Nanaylia hunched over a pile of books. Aragorn was horrified as Elrond rushed to her side.

"El-Elrond, it-it hurts so much," she quietly told him.

The older elf placed a grim look on his face. He shook his head as he turned towards Aragorn, who was still wondering about what was going on.

"Aragorn we have to get her out of here. She'is in labour," Elrond finally told the man.

TBC…


	3. Problem Child

Aragorn and Elrond led Nanaylia to her room, who was gasping the entire way. Aragorn was soon going to call for some help but Elrond managed to stop him. Aragorn was curious as to why as Elrond faced the younger elf.

"Nanaylia, everything will be fine. I assure you it will be," Elrond quietly told her.

She nodded her head as Aragorn opened the door and she was led inside. She managed to climb onto the bed and she screeched once again.

"Where is Elladan when you need him? He should be here," Aragorn mused.

"You should know that it cannot be helped for the baby decides otherwise. Besides, I believe Elladan is around here somewhere. I feel he will be here soon enough," Elrond replied.

He hurried to get the blankets that were already placed in the corner of the room. Aragorn glanced in the elf's direction and the pile of things that was gathered. He found it slightly odd that it was more on Elrond's insistence that they have certain things prepared. Aragorn didn't fully understand the situation and he wondered why the elf was acting so out of character.

"Are you certain we shouldn't get someone to help?" wondered Aragorn.

"No, we should not but do see if you can find Arwen. Tell her we could use her help," Elrond replied.

Aragorn nodded before swiftly heading out of the room to find his wife. Elrond watched him head out of the door and sighed.

_'Why does it have to be like this? I know this is going to start the questions,' _he asked himself.

00000

Aragorn hurried into the halls, looking for Arwen. He soon is search came to an end when he flung open his bedroom door. She was laying on the bed and she gave him a smile. It disappeared once she saw the worried look on his face.

"Aragorn, what is the matter?" she asked him.

"Nanaylia has gone into labour. Elrond said we will need your help," he replied.

Aragorn quickly grabbed her by hand and began to lead her down the hallway before she could fully comprehend what was happening. She was in total disbelief with the news.

"What?" Arwen gasped.

Arwen allowed herself to be taken to the room and she heard a scream come from inside. Aragorn opened the door and the two entered. Arwen hurried up to her friend and held her hand.

"Everything will be fine," Arwen told her.

She glanced down at her father. Elrond did not look happy and both Aragorn and Arwen could tell. Both of them wondered why. Aragorn decided not to ask with the elf's strange requests and behavior.

"Come Nanaylia. Push," Elrond said.

He placed a hand on Nanaylia's knee. He continually watched for the head to crown. He was becoming ever worried by each passing moment and it was not doing so. His actions were making both Aragorn and Arwen very worried about Nanaylia's condition. Aragorn explained to his wife how Elrond and himself found her in the library.

"I wonder when Elladan is going to get back?" Arwen wondered.

"We would d hear him if he was. He would want to be with his wife," Elrond told them before he placed a hand on Nanaylia's stomach. "Oh no."

"What's wrong?" Arwen asked in a nervous voice.

Elrond didn't immediately reply to the query. The elf gently prodded Nanaylia's stomach a few times before glancing downward. His only reply was the blood on the hand he lifted up. The two of them gasped at the sight.

00000

Elladan hurried through the hall, Legolas by his side.

"Legolas, I still do not understand why we have to find Nanaylia. If she started to have the baby, she most likely would have gone to see my father and I would have known by now," Elladan wondered.

Legolas continued to search the hallways for anyone who could answer his questions. Elladan was beginning to become confused with the whole situation.

"I am unsure. I just had this strange feeling that something was wrong with Nanaylia, that is all," Legolas replied, briefly closing his eyes.

"Are you serious? I think I am certain I will be in time for my own child's birth. Besides, my father has told her the signs of labour. I would like to believe that she would listen to him," Elladan wondered.

Before Legolas could answer, a scream echoed through the hallways. Both blanched as they recognized the voice and they ran towards the room it originated from. Elladan slammed open the door to see his father ready to deliver his child. He saw Aragorn and Arwen on either of her. Legolas gasped as Elladan ran up to the bed.

"How long has she been in labour?" demanded Elladan.

"It apparently has been a few hours now. The baby has not started to come yet but by the looks of it, it is not going to be easy," Elrond replied. "But right now, we have a serious problem. Bring me some more blankets and some herbs."

Elladan stared at his father with a terrified look on his face.

"What, Ada? What is wrong?" he demanded.

"She is bleeding and it looks like that the baby is going to come out feet first," explained Elrond. "If the baby does do this, I might have to do something about it myself before something serious happens to both of them."

Elladan looked at the pained expression on his wife's face as she continued to push. She tightly gripped onto his hand but he barely took any notice of it. Arwen looked over at her father, who looked down. Elladan sighed as Nanaylia looked at him.

"It is coming Nanaylia. Our child is finally on its way," Elladan whispered to her.

She nodded a small smile on her face. But she soon screeched again in pain. Everyone became worried when those words were spoken. Legolas looked over at Aragorn and Arwen, who didn't know what was happening, even though they were there longer than him or Elladan.

Several tense moments passed by and the baby moved further. Elrond continued to watch as the body continued to come out.

"The child is finally coming out and it is coming out feet first. Let us see if we can do this as quickly as possible," Elrond told her.

She did so and screeched. Elladan barely felt her squeezing the life out of his hand. The feet began to peek and along with it came come more blood.

Elladan smiled as he looked at Nanaylia but it soon turned to shock as he watched her body convulse. Everyone was greatly surprised. Elladan helplessly watched as Nanaylia's body suddenly stopped and her eyes rolled back into her head, her body becoming limp.

"Nanaylia!" he cried, grasping her shoulders, realizing that the baby was not fully out.

"Aragorn, Legolas, get him out of here!" Elrond ordered, pointing towards the door.

"No! I won't leave her!" Elladan cried out as he began to thrash about.

He helplessly watched his father as he was being dragged out of the room. Legolas glanced back with a worried look on his face and Elrond noticed this. Aragorn called for assistance and a couple of men arrived to help take the ever protesting Elladan to another room. The elf was sobbing by what was happening with the love of his life.

00000

Arwen watched as her father had to place his hand on the baby. He carefully guided the baby out himself. The baby was crying as he wrapped it up into a blanket and handed it to Arwen. She gasped once she saw that the baby was covered in blood.

"Will Nanaylia be alright?" she asked.

"I am unsure what will happen. I have to stop it before something serious happens," replied Elrond. "You had better leave now. This would not be for you to see and send Aragorn back in here. I will require his help with this."

Arwen nodded before heading out the door. She turned the corner and came across Aragorn.

"Where is my brother?" she asked him.

"He's being restrained in one of the other rooms. Legolas is keeping an eye on him along with a few other men," Aragorn replied.

His stare came to the baby in her arms. He was astounded to see the baby covered in blood. He looked at Arwen with the worry obvious in his face.

"Go help my father. He still needs it," Arwen replied.

Aragorn nodded before hurrying back into the room. Arwen watched him before deciding to take the newborn to see its father.

00000

Aragorn hurried into the room to see Elrond trying to stop the bleeding. Elrond glanced over to see that it was him and motioned him over.

"I need you to help me. I need to make some mixtures to give to her," Elrond told him.

"Let me make it. You are busy already," Aragorn replied, holding out his hand.

"No!" Elrond harshly replied, making Aragorn almost jump in surprise. "I will make it. I know what has to be mixed together."

Aragorn soon had a mixed feeling of confusion and anxiety as he walked over to the two. Nanaylia was still unconscious and Aragorn noticed this. Elrond motioned him towards the bed.

"Stay close to her until I return with the mixture. I feel that it will be the only thing that saves her life," Elrond said, quietly saying the last part.

Aragorn watched as Elrond did what he had to do. There was something about the situation didn't feel entirely comfortable but he accepted it until Elrond returned to the bed. Aragorn looked at the mixture of herbs in the bowl and was confused by what a few of the ingredients were as Elrond looked up at him.

"Aragorn, I know what I am doing. Now please move so I can help her," Elrond sternly told him.

He quickly finished the mixture and headed back to Nanaylia and Aragorn. The elf took a few bandages and placed it in the bowl. He applied it before covering her over with her clothes and blankets. Aragorn looked over at Elrond as the elf looked over the blood on his fingers. Elrond sighed as he dropped his hand.

"Now all we have to do is wait to see what happens. Why does it have to be this way?" he muttered to himself.

"Elrond, tell me what happened," Aragorn demanded.

"I have nothing to tell you Aragorn. I never did and I never will," Elrond replied as he stared at the man.

"You have nothing to tell me at all? Then how did you know what to do so quickly? How did you know to be well prepared for something like this? Why did you insist on staying with us? As I've already told you, if she had gone into labour, I felt that Elladan and I could have handled it. The only trouble would have been if she were away from the citadel when the child decided to come!" Aragorn explained.

He stood in front of the elf, barring his path from the door. Elrond sighed and looked at his hand again. Aragorn wondered why as he also stared at the blood so long.

"Aragorn, I knew what to do because I am a healer. One should be prepared for various things because anything could happen during a situation, even something like this. As for staying here with you, I cannot answer that," Elrond replied as he climbed to his feet.

He started towards the door but Aragorn stopped him before he could reach it.

"Either you truly have no answer for that or there's something you're not telling me. Something that you can't tell anyone because you've been sworn to secrecy. So which is it? I would like to know either way," Aragorn wondered.

"Aragorn, if I could give you an answer, I would. But I can't because there is no answer," Elrond replied. "Now let me go talk to my son. I have a feeling he desperately wants to know Nanaylia's condition."

Elrond moved his body enough so that he could walk past Aragorn, who still wanted to know several things. But the man figured that they would go unanswered.

00000

Elrond stepped outside the door. He leaned against the wall and he lifted his hand enough to stare at the blood on his fingers. His mind raced with memories from millennia ago.

"I wish it did not have to be this way. If they only knew the truth," he quietly said as he stared at the shine in the blood on his hand. "And I cannot tell them anything about it."

TBC...


	4. Setting Plans into Motion

Legolas carefully stepped into the room and couldn't help but give a smile at the sight: Elladan was holding Nanaylia's hand while being slumped over the side of the bed. He gently walked over to them and placed the flowers in the vase beside the bed. Elladan stirred and glanced in his friend's direction while giving a sigh.

"How is she faring?" Legolas quietly asked.

"She is much better. I am more than relieved that she did not die giving birth to my daughter. I would have been terrified if I had to raise her alone. The thought alone scares me," Elladan mused.

Legolas gave a small laugh as he stepped up to his sister' bed. He carefully watched her as she quietly breathed. He gently sat on the side of the bed, hoping to see some sort of reaction.

"Nanaylia, you are certainly a fighter. You always have been. Sometimes, I really have to wonder where you get it from," Legolas smiled.

He took one last look over his sister before standing up. The elf began to make his way towards the door, neither him nor Elladan taking notice of the slightly opened eyes.

"I get it from the same place you do, big brother," a quiet voice filled their ears.

Legolas twirled around to find Elladan carefully helping Nanaylia to a sitting position. The older sibling grinned as he hurried back to the bed.

"Nanaylia, you are awake," he said.

"Legolas, we get it from our father. You know how stubborn he can be sometimes," she told him, completely ignoring his comment.

Legolas couldn't help but laugh as he stole a knowing look with Elladan. The feeling was cut short when Nanaylia began to move her body so she could climb off the bed.

"Be careful, you just went through a lot," Elladan assured her.

She blinked a few times, as if remembering where she was and what had happened. She took a deep breathe as she glanced between her lover and brother. A scared look crossed her face as she realized what was missing. On the verge of panicking, Nanaylia turned towards Elladan, unconsciously grabbing his tunic.

"Where is our child?" she demanded.

"Do not worry. She is in another room being tended to by my father and yours," Elladan assured her.

"'She'? W-we have a daughter?" Nanaylia repeated.

A joyful smile crossed her face as both Legolas and Elladan nodded their heads. Despite the news, something was nagging at the back of Nanaylia's mind.

"What happened exactly? The last thing I remember is Elrond trying to help deliver the baby," she questioned.

The two elves glanced at each other. Both were expecting the question yet neither wanted to answer it. Elladan's stare moved downward as he turned his head back to his wife.

"The baby started to come out feet first. You began to bleed and as the baby began to make its way out, you fell unconscious. My father managed to get our daughter out safely and you fixed up before anything too serious happened. He wanted me to tell you to take it easy for a few days. He does not want you to aggravate the injuries," Elladan explained.

As much as Nanaylia hated it, she found herself climbing back into the bed. She leaned against the headboard and gave a deep sigh. She knew that things for a few days would be long and tiresome.

"So, can either of you get me a book to read?" she finally asked.

00000

Thranduil beamed with pride as he held his new granddaughter. He managed to put aside the worry over his daughter's near death experience to take in an event not many elves would see again in Middle Earth.

"Take care, my darling granddaughter. You are going to be one of the last elves to be borne here in this great land and I am all too happy to be here to greet you. I only wish Alarya were here. She would be so proud of you," Thranduil cooed.

Elrond overheard the conversation from across the room. With his back to the king, he gave a slightly sad smile. He hated not being able to tell Thranduil anything but he knew he would react the same way as everyone else: total disbelief for not saying anything sooner.

"She is going to be fine Thranduil and so is your daughter, given a few days rest. Luckily, she did not suffer too much bleeding," Elrond called over to him.

"Elrond, do not dare tell me that you are not elated about this. This is our granddaughter we are talking about," Thranduil prodded.

Elrond gave a small sigh as he turned his head enough to glance at the king. He rolled his eyes slightly. He thought about everything that happened in the last little while before smiling.

"I suppose you are right. I was so worried about Nanaylia, I forgot to celebrate," Elrond finally said.

Thranduil gave a laugh as he continued to cradle the child sitting in his arms. Neither of them noticed two eagles sitting on the windowsill, watching them. They quickly glanced at each other before flying off into the distance.

00000

The two birds flew through the air, intent on one destination. They soon headed into a mountain pass, filled with fog. The clouds soon parted to reveal a building sitting within the enclosed area.

The two made their way into the front gate and weaved through the hallways. The two birds looked down as they passed the people milling about. Not one even glanced in their direction as they soon found the main throne room, which was filled with only two people, a male and female.

The eagles landed on the floor before them and everyone remained silent for several long seconds. It was the female who decided to say something first.

"So she has finally had her child. I am pleased. Now we can continue on with our plan," she said.

"Are you certain you want to do this? As soon as we put this plan into action, there is absolutely no turning back," he asked, a questioning look on his face.

She reluctantly gave a nod before sighing and turning her stare away from him and the birds. She stepped up to the window and stared outside at the trees within her point of view.

"Yes, I do," she finally said. "I take no pleasure in doing this, but it has to be done anyway. They have left us no choice in the matter and it is my duty to get them here as soon as possible."

He didn't say anything, knowing that she had already made up her mind. He carefully watched her as did the eagles, waiting for a response. She stared out the window for one last moment before returning her stare back to the eagles and her companion.

"We leave as soon as possible. I know she needs the rest but she can get that here," she told them.

He nodded, stepping back a few steps before heading out the door. The eagles took flight and followed him, leaving her all alone. She glanced outside the window again in the direction of Minas Tirith.

"I am so sorry it had to be this way. I only wish there was another way," she apologized.

00000

Nanaylia looked at the child sitting in her arms. Elladan watched her from the bedside, smiling as she cooed at their daughter.

"Beautiful, is she not? I do believe she has her mother's eyes," he wondered.

"I am flattered. She is the most beautiful child I have ever seen," she said.

Elladan began to grin from ear to ear. He stood up enough to sit beside her and kiss her on the forehead before he placed his arms around the two of them.

"Listen to me Nanaylia, I will never let anything happen to the two of you. I promise you," he whispered in her ear.

She placed a hand on his cheek and leaned in to kiss him. He accepted it and drew the two of them even closer. She placed her head onto his chest, neither of them saying a word.

"Elladan, I never want this to end," she finally said.

"Neither do I," he whispered into her ear.

He leaned in closer and kissed her on the lips as their child continued to feed, oblivious to everything that was going on around her.

00000

A knock came to the door.

Legolas patiently waited outside as a 'come in' was heard. The elf carefully opened the door and peeked inside. He gave a smile once he saw his sister with the child sitting against her.

"I apologize Nanaylia, I shall come back later. I do not want to disturb you," he told her.

"No, come in Legolas. We do not mind if you are here," Nanaylia called out to him.

Legolas carefully made his way towards the bed, keeping an eye on them. He walked up to the bed and sat down next to her. Nanaylia looked up from her nursing child and gave her older brother a huge smile. Legolas placed a hand on his sister's back, feeling overjoyed with the idea of being able to be there for his niece. He watched the babe of only a few days as she gave a big yawn and subsequently fall asleep in her mother's arms.

"She is beautiful, Nanaylia. Whoever those birds were and wherever they came from, I wish I could thank them for helping me. If it were not for them, I would not be here to see her," Legolas said.

"I do too but if we even knew where to start looking…" agreed Nanaylia.

Legolas nodded in reply, knowing exactly what she was going to say. He rubbed her arm, turning his stare slightly. His eyes went to the blue sky peeking at them and he stood up. The elf walked over to the window and stared outside.

"I suppose we will never know Legolas," Nanaylia called over to him.

The older sibling turned around and gave a sad smile, nodding in agreement.

"So where is Elladan?" Legolas suddenly asked.

"He had to do something with his father and brother. I have no idea when he will be back," Nanaylia replied. "Why?"

Legolas continued to smile as he walked back over to the bed and sat down beside her. Placing a hand on her arm, she noticed the twinkle in his eye.

"Should a brother have a reason to spend time alone with his own sister? Besides, I do believe our father has a small surprise for you," Legolas coyly told her.

Nanaylia shot a disbelieving look at her brother before something at the door caught their attention. The sound was vague but it almost sounded like scratching to the siblings.

"What was that?" she questioned.

"I have no idea," he replied.

Legolas warily stepped towards the door, fully knowing that any step could be his last. Pulling out his bow and an arrow, he drew back the string at the slightly ajar door when a snout poked into the room. When a dog drew its head into the room, Legolas sighed in relief and dropped the bow to his side.

"It is only one of the dogs that roam the citadel. It is nothing to be alarmed of," Legolas mused.

The dog made its way into the room and sat down at the foot of the bed. It carefully watched them, slightly cocking its head to one side. It continued to stare at Nanaylia and the baby, causing a worried look to cross the new mother's face.

"Lego, what is it doing?" Nanaylia wondered.

The uneasiness was quickly creeping into her voice. Legolas barely took a step toward her when he heard more sets of footsteps at the door. Twirling around, he came face to face with three wolves. All three of them began to growl before one stepped forward and it lifted its head. It gave a long, mournful howl and Legolas was entranced by the whole scene until he heard his sister's voice.

"Legolas!" she cried.

Legolas quickly turned back to Nanaylia to find a mist beginning to surround her. He began to hurry over to her and the mist swelled. Legolas jumped onto the bed and put his arms around both Nanaylia and the baby. The wolves inched closer and surrounded the bed.

"What are they doing?" Nanaylia asked her brother.

"I have no idea," he replied.

The mist intensified as the wolves made their way to the sides of the bed. Legolas held his sister and niece close to his body. He looked between the three wolves to find their eyes completely white. The smallest of breezes, barely even noticeable, picked up as the mist engulfed the three elves.

All of a sudden, a bright light flashed across the room, leaving no one but the dog. The animal simply stood up and walked out of the room as if nothing had happened.

TBC…


	5. Confusion

Elladan and Elrond walked through the hallway. The younger elf was thinking about everything that had been happening in the past few days. Elrond couldn't help but smile at his son. To him, it only seemed like yesterday that he was in the same situation.

"Ada, many thanks for your advice," Elladan finally said.

"I am pleased I could have been of assistance, much to Elrohir's displeasure to talk about newborns. He knows that he will probably have in own someday and at least we got those papers in order," Elrond replied.

The two elves continued to walk down the hallway, neither saying a word until Elladan grabbed his father's arm. Elrond gave a worried look once he saw the sadness written on his son's face.

"What is the matter Elladan?" Elrond demanded.

"As much as you, Thranduil or Chimone will advise Nanaylia and myself, there is still one aspect about being a father to this child that I am terrified about," Elladan replied.

He hesitated and Elrond turned to face his son completely. He patiently waited for Elladan to answer but inwardly, he felt he knew what was coming.

"It is the magic. There is no one that I am aware of who has been through this situation before. We believe that our daughter has most likely inherited it from her mother and we have no idea will effects will surface as she grows older," Elladan confessed.

"You have a right to be concerned. I know I would be if I were in your position. Now if you will excuse me, I have to go meet Aragorn in the main hall," Elrond replied.

Elladan didn't say anything else as they came to a hallway. The younger elf gave his father a smile before parting ways with him. He slowly made his way past the doors, thinking about everything that had been happening lately. He wandered aimlessly around the halls for so long, he lost track of time.

"Silly me, I should be with Nanaylia. I have left them alone for far too long," he laughed.

Elladan hurried his step and began to aim towards his room to see how Nanaylia and his daughter were doing. He was almost there when he heard a panting in the distance.

"Who is there?" he called out.

Not getting an answer, he narrowed his eyes as the footsteps got closer. He took notice there were more than two steps yet only one voice. The elf was confused until a dog came into view and hurried past him without looking twice.

"That was odd," he muttered.

He continued on his way to his room. As he drew closer, he grew suspicious as he noticed the door was ajar. Elladan ran up to the room and hurried inside. He glanced around the room and saw no one in sight. His heart dropped.

"Nanaylia, are you here?" he said.

Elladan hurried down the hall once he knew for certain that no one was in the room. He hurried for both the library and the nursery to find she wasn't in those places either. Fear overwhelmed Elladan as several thoughts ran through his mind. He bolted for the main hall, where he knew Aragorn and Elrond would be located. The doors burst open as he hurried inside. Aragorn and Elrond were the only two in attendance and they looked up, a bit irritated as he ran up to the table.

"This better be important Elladan, we're busy at the moment," Aragorn told him.

"Nanaylia is not in our room, the library or the nursery. She is missing along with my daughter. You should know that she would not simply disappear without letting someone know where she went. Especially considering what she went through delivering our daughter," Elladan told them.

That caught their attentions and they stared in his direction. Elrond paled at the mere mention of a disappearance. The possibility that they were kidnapped didn't escape either of them. Not saying a word Aragorn climbed to his feet, with his hands on the table and a concerned look on his face.

"We better inform Thranduil and Legolas. We're going to do a search of the entire citadel. No corner goes unlooked," Aragorn ordered.

Elladan nodded before heading out of the room. Aragorn glanced towards Elrond, who appeared shocked by the news. Not saying a word, Aragorn left the room, leaving a speechless Elrond behind. The elf sat down in the chair that the man recently vacated.

'_Has it begun?' _he thought.

00000

The first thing Legolas knew was the headache. He groaned as everything came into focus as soft cries filled his ears. Legolas realized that he was hunched over his sister and he lifted himself up. His niece was producing the soft cries he was hearing and Nanaylia had not awakened yet. Legolas carefully lifted his niece out of her arms so she wouldn't fall. He took this time to take a look around the room. Its designs were elaborate unlike anything he had ever seen before.

"Where in Middle Earth are we?" he questioned.

The elf climbed to his feet and made his way to the window. Legolas gasped as he beheld the sights before him. Birds danced in the air and other various land-based animals freely roamed the land.

"We are certainly not in Minas Tirith anymore," he barely said.

Suddenly, he heard a groan coming from behind him and he twirled around to find Nanaylia slowly awakening. She lifted a hand to her head as she climbed to a sitting position. Glancing towards Legolas, she was as confused as he was.

"What is going on here? Where did those wolves come from and what did they do?" she asked him.

"I am not sure. I am wondering if we are indeed prisoners. There does not appear to be any guards and we would have had someone here to welcome us when we awoke," Legolas mused.

Legolas began to make his way to the door. Nanaylia carefully climbed to her feet and followed her brother. Legolas cautiously opened the door and glanced into the hallway to find no guards outside the door.

"Well, that answers one question. We should go see if we can find someone who can help us," Legolas told her.

Handing the child to Nanaylia, they two began to head down the hallway. Legolas continually made sure that both Nanaylia and the newborn were close behind him. He found the archer within him was itching to get out and he was more than prepared if they came face to face with their abductors.

"This place is unlike I have ever seen. Their architecture is so different than that of anyplace we have ever been," Nanaylia mused.

"Then were could we be then? Between the two of us, we have seen just about all of Middle Earth," Legolas agreed.

They continued on until a few figures appeared in the distance. The two siblings narrowed their eyes and as they drew closer, the elves passed them. A few glanced up and gave them smiles. The two continued to step through the halls and came across more and more elves.

"Where are we?" Nanaylia questioned.

"I wish I knew. If I did, then I could get you out of here," Legolas replied.

They continued to make their way through the halls until they came to a room filled with about a dozen elves. A few at a nearby table glanced up and one gave a snicker.

"Look what we have here. There are more new arrivals in town. Perfect," he said.

He climbed to his feet and sauntered over to the brother and sister. Legolas crossed his arms and a stern look appeared on his face as he stood between Nanaylia and this new elf.

"What is the matter? Do you seriously think I will harm your female friend?" the elf wondered.

"I am unsure what to think. After all, you are the ones who brought us here. Until otherwise, I have no reason to trust any of you," Legolas replied.

The new elf couldn't help but laugh. He circled around Legolas and Nanaylia, taking note of the newborn sitting within her arms. His glance went towards Legolas and noticed the quiver and bow sitting on his back and the smile disappeared.

"In my mind, neither of you were welcome here even before you arrived. That weapon on your back solidifies my belief. Why the queen would want to bring the two of you is beyond my comprehension. Go back to where you belong," the elf mused.

"We plan to as soon we know how to get out of here," Legolas retorted.

The elf's friends all snickered at the remark. The elf gave a huge grin as he crossed his arms, as if taunting them. Nanaylia placed a hand on Legolas' shoulder and leaned in closer.

"We should go Legolas. It is obvious we are not wanted here," she whispered to him.

Legolas nodded before he started to lead her out of the room. The elf laughed as he watched them go.

"I should have expected as much from elves like you! You are nothing but cowering fools who seek refuge behind little babes!" he yelled at them.

The anger welled up within Legolas as they stopped. He took a deep breath as he calmly turned around and faced the elf.

"What did you say to us?" Legolas asked.

"You heard me the first time. Now get out of our lands!" the elf called.

A growl welled up within Legolas' gut as he stormed up to the elf. Nanaylia was shocked as she had never seen her brother this angry in a very long time. She reached in order to stop him but he was just out of her grasp. He stood up tall in front of the elf.

"Take that back now," Legolas warned him.

"Or else what, newcomer? You will shoot me with your bow? What good will that do?" the elf questioned.

The growl deepened as it drifted from his gut to his throat until they heard a door slam open. Everyone stared in the direction it came from and all the elves that were situated in the room backed off. Both of the Mirkwood siblings were astonished by the reaction as they gazed at the new female elf in the room.

"Stop this immediately!" she bellowed.

00000

Elladan hurried through the hallways, searching for his brother, Legolas or Thranduil. All he knew was that the only thing that any of them needed was a witness to the abduction. He came to his brother's room and pounded on the door. When he didn't get an answer, he ran for the only other place he knew his brother could be.

"Elrohir, where could you be?" Elladan quietly pleaded.

Elladan made his way back to the main hallway when he came across Elrohir heading down the hallway towards him.

"Elrohir!" Elladan gasped.

"Elladan, I am so glad to have found you. Have you seen Legolas?" Elrohir demanded.

Elladan was slightly stunned by the question and it was a few moments before he could shake his head no. Elrohir gave a slightly irritated humph before he crossed his arms.

"He was supposed to meet me in the courtyard an hour ago. I have been searching for him endlessly since then," Elrohir explained.

Elladan blanched when he heard his brother speak those words and it was obvious on his face. Elrohir narrowed his eyes, baffled as to why Elladan was acting this strangely.

"Elladan…" he started.

"Elrohir…we have a problem. Come with me," Elladan managed to get out.

00000

Aragorn stood next to an Elven king who was certainly not in the mood for anything. When the man told Thranduil that it appeared Nanaylia and her newborn daughter had been kidnapped, the elf fumed. Aragorn could easily see the smoke rising from the infuriated father side of Thranduil and he knew it was a sight that not many witnessed.

"I cannot believe that someone would have the audacity to kidnap a brand new mother!" Thranduil mused.

He was managing to keep in anger in check but Aragorn could tell that just about anything would set it off. His mind slipped away from the situation but the sound of a door opening brought him back to reality. Both he and Thranduil looked to see Elrohir and Elladan hurry into the room.

"Aragorn, Thranduil, we have a bigger problem than we originally thought," Elladan told them.

"What could possibly be any more worse than the news that both my daughter and granddaughter are missing?" Thranduil demanded.

Elladan took a moment before answering, knowing that the next words he uttered just might be his last ones.

"Legolas is also missing."

TBC…


	6. A Few Explanations

"C-Caldhan, it-it is so nice to see you," the elf stuttered.

The new elf stepped forward and towards the troublesome elf, who cowered. She crossed her arms as she hovered over him, not saying a word, not moving an inch.

"Get out of here Alkor before I throw you out myself," she finally told him.

Alkor carefully shifted his position around the older elf, who warily watched his every move before he bolted from the room. Her cold stare went back the other elves and gave a deep sigh.

"And that goes for the lot of you," Caldhan sternly said.

The others promptly followed him and Caldhan turned his stare towards Legolas and Nanaylia. She gave a huge smile as she moved closer to them. They backed away, unsure what to think.

"Legolas, Nanaylia, how good to see you. We have been expecting you," she warmly said.

"'Expecting us'? You make it sound like we are your guests, not your prisoners," Legolas mused.

Caldhan couldn't help but laugh at the statement. She motioned for them to follow her and she began to head for the door. The siblings glanced at each other before reluctantly trailing behind her.

"Indeed, we have, Legolas, for quite some time. We would have brought you here earlier but we could not because Nanaylia was with child," Caldhan explained.

The two remained quiet as they continued down the hallway. The older elf stopped at a door and opened it up to reveal a nursery. A few elves and children were sprinkled about the room. She stepped within the room before indicating to Nanaylia to follow.

"Your daughter can stay here. I can assure you she will not be harmed in any way. These elves protect these children as if they were their own," Caldhan said.

Nanaylia was still a bit reluctant and Legolas figured it was from having given birth so recently. She glanced to her older brother for advice and he nodded his head. She carefully made her way inside and for the crib that was prepared. After laying the child down, both she and Legolas trailed the elf down to what appeared to be a study. Caldhan closed the door behind her and eyed the two young elves.

"Legolas, Nanaylia, my name is Caldhan and I am one of the queen's aides," she finally introduced herself.

Legolas marched up to her and crossed his arms. He had a very angered stare on his face and Caldhan didn't appear the least bit rattled by his presence. She watched him as if she knew how he was going to react.

"Caldhan, I insist you tell us how you apparently know us so well and why you brought us here," Legolas finally told her.

"We have been watching the two of you for some time now. We needed to bring you here because there is a threat to your lives," she explained.

Nanaylia couldn't help but snicker as she stepped up to the aide herself. Giving a lopsided smile, a curious look crossed her face.

"'There is a threat to our lives'? If that is the case, we did you just not come to us and simply say so? I am certain we would have listened," she wondered.

Caldhan gave a deep sigh, unsure how to proceed with her justifications. She moved around them and up to the window. Several deer jumped across the fields outside and the birds flew joyfully through the air, singing to each other.

"But you would not have believed us," she finally whispered.

Legolas' eyes shot up in disbelief and a laugh escaped his lips. Nanaylia began to laugh herself at the accusation.

"You are telling us that our lives are in danger and you could not tell us because we would not have believed you?" she questioned.

Caldhan shook her head before giving them a sad smile. She knew that the next words out of her mouth were going to be the words they would never be expecting to hear in their lives.

"Believe it or not, we have a common enemy. They are vile creatures and never to be trusted. You would not have been safe anywhere in Middle Earth, no matter how much you ran or protected yourselves. You are safe here for our defenses have kept them out for millennia. But that was when they attacked in small groups. Now, the remaining troops are regrouping and planning a massive assault on all of us. If we had simply come to you and told you this, you probably would have believed us about the attack but not about where you are standing right now," Caldhan explained.

"Try us. If you have indeed been keeping an eye on us, you should know then that we have seen many strange things in the last several years," posed Legolas.

Caldhan eyed Legolas before moving her stare to Nanaylia. Both felt they were more than ready for what she had to tell them. Fully knowing how they were going to react, she took a deep breath.

"The two of you are in Shiloria," she finally told them.

00000

Thranduil appeared calm as he sat down beside the table but everyone present knew that he was absolutely seething inside. With his fingers entangled through his hair, the Elven King peeked up at everyone, the shock and total disbelief slowly appearing in his features. Aragorn glanced towards Elladan and could tell that he was no better with the situation.

"Do you mean to tell me that _both_ my children and my newborn granddaughter are nowhere to be found?" he questioned.

His voice was beginning to crack and no one dared to say anything. Everyone hesitantly nodded their heads. He balled his hands up into fists as he slowly climbed to his feet before he slammed them back down onto the table. Thranduil was so upset that he never noticed

"Whoever is behind this is messing with the wrong father," he yelled out.

"Thranduil, wait! Barely any time has passed since we discovered they have 'disappeared'. Maybe there is a rational explanation," Aragorn quickly protested.

"Aragorn, it appears you have forgotten who I am. I am an elf. For all we know, there might be _someone_ within the citadel who has a grudge against my people. On top of that, I am a king. Who would be better to target than the children of royalty? Whoever did this will pay dearly, especially after what my son and daughter have recently been through," Thranduil angrily replied.

The elf straightened his back before storming towards the window. He stared out at the people milling about, never noticing that Aragorn was warily stepping closer to him.

"Thranduil, I plan to do a thorough search of Minas Tirith and its surrounding areas. They couldn't have gotten too far," the man tried to assure him.

"But whoever they were, they still have a lead on us and provided the abductors do not send a ransom note first," objected Thranduil.

"The thought had crossed my mind and honestly, that's what I'm hoping they will do. At least then, we can send out scouts and we can possibly find your children from the trails they leave behind," Aragorn replied.

Thranduil snorted, unsure if he should believe what Aragorn was saying. He had already believed once that Nanaylia had died because of Manlin and Legolas had succumbed to the powers of Sauron, which nearly resulted in his death. Now, it looked like he just might lose them both in one blow. Thranduil gritted his teeth; the only thing that was on his mind was to find them before anything serious happened to either of them or the baby. The tears began to fall down his cheek, unable to keep them back any longer. He was so preoccupied with his feelings that he never heard the door to the hall open and a guard step inside.

"Sire, there's someone here that's requesting your presence," he said.

"Now's not the time! You're going to have to tell them they have to come back later," Aragorn sternly told the man.

The man shook his head, generating an even angrier Aragorn. The king carefully made his way to the guard and stood tall before him. The guard tried not to back out of the room as Aragorn circled around him.

"And why would that not be possible?" Aragorn wondered.

"He says it's urgent. He's insisting to see you, Thranduil and Elladan," the guard replied.

Elladan's ears perked up once he heard his name. He ran up to the guard and grasped the man's shoulders in a manner more rough than he anticipated.

"Did this person say anything about Nanaylia or Legolas?" he demanded.

"A-as a matter of fact, he did," the guard stuttered.

Thranduil snapped out of his gloomy mood once he heard the mention of his children. He swiftly climbed to his feet, hoping to hear more about Legolas' and Nanaylia's whereabouts.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Send him in!" ordered Thranduil.

The guard nodded and opened the door, allowing the newcomer to step inside. He was draped in black and a hood covering his features. Everyone stared at the new arrival, impatiently waiting for an answer.

"Speak now. What news do you bring us?" Aragorn told him.

"My name is Sarcoy and I bring you news concerning the ones known as Legolas and Nanaylia. They are safe and guests of my queen," he explained.

Thranduil moved to face the figure. The tears trails were still visible on his face as stared wide-eyed as he grabbed the shirt of the visitor.

"Where are they? Bring them back!" demanded Thranduil.

"We cannot do that, Thranduil, son of Oropher. They are in danger here and if they come back, they will certainly die! My people can protect them better where they are now!" Sarcoy exclaimed.

"Do you know what it feels like being separated from your children? I do. This is the second time for each child that I was not there to protect them," Thranduil posed.

Sarcoy didn't say anything, turning his stare towards the ground and everyone wondered if they had indeed hit a nerve. He finally shook his head as he gazed over the Elven King.

"No, I have not but there is someone I know who has lost her children a long, long time ago," he finally said.

Thranduil was enraged as Elladan cautiously moved around the king. Aragorn placed a hand on the king's arms, in hopes to calm him down as Elladan strode towards the new figure. He was just as upset as the king but didn't say a word to Sarcoy as he stepped up to him.

"Tell me Sarcoy. How are my daughter and my wife?" wondered Elladan.

The pain was written in his voice and Sarcoy could sense it down to his bones. He gave a wide smile, remembering when he first looked into the room.

"They are both fine. I must admit, Elladan, you have a beautiful daughter. She takes after her mother, who is just as beautiful," he replied then absently added: "She takes after her mother."

That caught Thranduil's attention. He stormed for Sarcoy and grasped his collar. The Mirkwood elf slammed him against the wall, with Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir calling after him to stop.

"How do you know Alarya? She has been dead for centuries!" Thranduil roared.

Aragorn and Elrohir tried to get Thranduil back but he ignored them. He shook Sarcoy until the hood drifted off his head and he gasped. The eyes of the others widened and their mouths dropped.

"You are of elf kind. Why would you do this to your own people?" Elladan insisted.

Thranduil couldn't believe what he was seeing as he dropped the new elf back down to solid ground. Sarcoy cautiously watched both Thranduil and Elladan to see how they would react.

"Believe me, it was a hard decision for us but it had to be done. There is an evil out there that cannot be contained or destroyed by conventional means. It would have easily come here and killed your children without a second thought," Sarcoy explained.

None of them could believe their ears. Elladan was on the verge of tears as Thranduil backed away and collapsed into a chair, the tears flowing freely down his face. Neither Aragorn nor Elrohir could say anything as Sarcoy examined all of them.

"And where is your kingdom then? Where has this evil come from?" Elladan finally managed to choke out.

"Very far away from here, in the east. This evil has been around a long time yet it has almost been forgotten. They are…" Sarcoy started.

Suddenly, a noise caught everyone's attention from outside. Aragorn and Elladan looked outside to see what problem was brewing. They blanched to see who was now attacking the citadel.

It was a band of gargoyles.

TBC…


	7. The Battle Begins

"Are you serious, Caldhan? You are actually telling us that we are in _the_ Shirloria, the land of magic?" Legolas repeated, a smile creeping onto his face.

Caldhan nodded her head. She remained completely calm as if she were expecting anything and everything they could throw at her. The two siblings glanced at each other before they burst out laughing. Nanaylia stepped forward, in total disbelief yet a smile still crossed her face.

"Listen, we do not know what you are trying to prove but we cannot possibly be in Shiloria! The place is a myth!" she protested.

Caldhan smiled as she moved around the two siblings. She was thinking about what she was planning to say next, unsure how to explain to them about their existence.

"This may be hard for you to believe but you are indeed in Shiloria. At one time, we walked amongst the peoples of Middle Earth but we were scorned because of our capabilities. Throughout the centuries, we retreated and thusly, have been completely forgotten as a race altogether. We eventually transformed into a mythical place where strange creatures and magic exists," Caldhan explained.

Legolas glanced over to his sister, the skepticism still written all over his face – and hers. They gazed back into her direction, hoping to get some sort of sign from her.

"And I suppose that you are going to tell us that the gargoyles are your enemies," Legolas sarcastically mused.

Caldhan couldn't help but smile at the statement. She knew they didn't believe much of what she was saying and nothing would truly convince them yet.

"As a matter of fact, they are," Caldhan confidently responded.

The smiles immediately disappeared from both Legolas and Nanaylia's face and looks of complete horror as they turned to each other. The colour drained from their faces with the realization slowly sinking in.

"It cannot be possible!" Legolas gasped.

"It is possible. We have been at war with them since the beginning and there has been no stopping them! You have to understand!" she pleaded with them.

Legolas couldn't believe what he was hearing. The words were ringing in his ears and he felt they weren't going to be stopping anytime soon. Nanaylia began to feel weak in her knees and she had to seek out the nearest chair before she completely collapsed onto the floor.

"Why did we not see this sooner? Those gargoyles are more trouble that they are worth," she called to Legolas.

Legolas managed to nod in agreement. Several thoughts ran through his head as he placed a hand on his chin. His eyes made their way back to Caldhan, who had remained silent.

"Say you are truly not deceiving us: we are really in Shiloria and the gargoyles are indeed your enemies, I still do not completely understand why we are here. I can think of many elves, men, a few hobbits and a dwarf who have come into contact with gargoyles and lived to tell the tale. What makes us special?" Legolas replied.

Caldhan became silent with the observation, unsure how to respond. Both siblings noticed her lack of reaction and Legolas carefully stepped towards her. She held up a hand, keeping her head slightly down. She didn't want to have them see that she was almost in tears.

"I do not believe that I am the appropriate one to answer that question," she finally answered.

"Then who is the one?" wondered Nanaylia.

Before Caldhan could answer, a growl filled their ears and a wolf marched through the door. It carefully watched the two siblings as it headed towards them. It made its way to Caldhan and sat on its hind quarters. The elder elf gave a smile, fully knowing what it meant. She glimpsed back in the direction of the brother and sister.

"Looks like you are going to get your wish after all. Our queen has returned. Allow me to escort you to the main hall for she will be eager to see you," Caldhan told them.

She began to head towards the door, never looking back at the two. Legolas and Nanaylia stole a quick look between each other before following her out the door.

00000

The colour drained from Aragorn's face as the elves appeared to be in total shock from the new predicament. The new elf rushed to the window and he paled once he saw the gargoyles flying about outside. He balled his hands and slammed them against the window. Elladan was beginning to fume as he grabbed Sarcoy by his collar.

"Why are gargoyles assaulting Minas Tirith? As far as I know, they have no reason to attack this place! They arrived just after you did. Does this mean you are working with them?" he demanded.

"They must have followed me! I do not know how they did, but they must have!" he cried.

Elladan was livid as he stepped away from the group and placed a hand over his mouth. He was unsure how to react to the situation, moreso than everyone else.

"Listen to me carefully: we are not in league with the gargoyles for they are our enemies. If they did not follow me, they must have somehow known that Legolas and Nanaylia were here and their plan to kill them coincided with my arrival to warn you," Sarcoy explained.

"I will believe _that_ when I see it," Thranduil retorted.

Sarcoy narrowed his eyes as neared the fuming father. Leaning in closer, the new elf thought about what he was going to say next and Thranduil was shocked by the words that floated into his ears.

"At least we are not like Manlin."

Sarcoy turned towards the door, giving a knowing look to the Elven king. Thranduil couldn't say a word. Aragorn approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder, bringing the elf back to reality.

"Let's get going. We've got a fight to win. Thranduil, you'd better stay here. They might be after you as well," the man said.

Thranduil nodded as the group's attention went back to the threat at hand and they followed began to head out the door after Sarcoy. When they reached the hallway, they were surprised not to find him but a wolf sitting calmly on the ground. He gave them a look that said 'let's get going'. The elves and man glimpsed at each other before following the animal down the halls, amongst the frantic masses.

"They certainly have everyone in an uproar," muttered Elrohir.

No one said anything else as they rushed outside. Drawing his sword, Aragorn watched the gargoyles move about and hoped that one would eventually come in their direction. As the twins pulled out their bows, the wolf growled as lunged forward. The trio followed him through the screaming crowd.

Gargoyles were slowly landing within the streets and assaulting everyone that passed by them. The elves pulled back the string on their bows and released an arrow. They hit their marks as the elves continued on after the others.

The four hurried through the streets battling as many gargoyles as they could, with the wolf leading the way when a figure suddenly jumped down in front of them. Elladan drew in a breath as he saw who was standing in front of them. His eyes flared up in anger as he balled up his free hand. Elrohir placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, in case anything should happen and he needed to stop his only brother.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Elladan coldly asked.

The female gargoyle simply laughed as she gazed over the group. She folded her arms as she glanced towards the sky, as if looking for someone. A gush of air was heard as thumps were heard on the ground nearby.

"My, my, what have we here? A quartet of characters is trying to stop us? How pathetic!" a familiar voice snarled.

Laughter filled the air as Aragorn, Elladan and Elrohir prepared themselves for an unexpected fight for they were now face to face with Shentree, Banside and Sathed.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Elladan, an icy tone to his voice.

"Why, we're here for Legolas and Nanaylia. We've also heard she just had a child and we're here for that one as well," Shentree said with a smile.

"That's right, now where are they?" demanded Banside.

The gargoyle caught Elladan by surprise by roughly grabbing the elf's arm. The two struggled momentarily before Elladan managed to jerk his arm free. He growled at the gargoyle, who simply laughed. The wolf paced towards him, the snarls emitting from his throat.

"They are not here," the animal growled.

Shentree laughed, realizing who it was that stood in front of them. Sathed crouched on the ground, a huge grin on his face and gently rocked from side to side. The soft glow surrounded the wolf and it began to change shape. The two elves and one man were in awe and their jaws dropped as Sarcoy appeared before them in place of the animal.

"Sarcoy, I should have known that you would be here. She _is_ very brazen, kidnapping a brand new mother and her child," Shentree smiled.

"The method may have been a bit unorthodox but at least they are safe from the likes of you," Sarcoy replied.

Shentree gritted her teeth and motioned to both of her companions. The two jumped towards the quartet, catching them off guard. Sarcoy lunged for Shentree and the two locked hands, the sparks spurting from between them. Another gargoyle appeared on the scene and she smirked.

"I have been waiting for this moment for quite some time," she muttered.

"Yancha, it's good of you to join us!" Shentree yelled at her.

The new arrival jumped into the mix of the two elves, two gargoyles and one man. As Banside danced between Aragorn and Elladan, she seized the elf from behind and flung him to the ground. The elf scrambled to his feet and faced the gargoyle, an arrow aimed directly at her.

"You can not win this. We will find them and we will kill them all," Yancha smirked.

"I will never allow you to get near my wife and daughter," Elladan protested.

The gargoyle laughed as she began to dance with the elf. After several moments, she lunged for Elladan and the elf released his arrow. It grazed her shoulder and she never noticed it as she flew past the elf. Landing on all fours, she twirled back around and bared her teeth at him.

"Try me, elf. I'm faster and stronger than you will ever be. You'll never be able to kill me," she roared.

She charged for Elladan, who took a defensive stance.

00000

Aragorn was barely managing to block the bombardment from Banside. The gargoyle's guttural growl filled the man's ears and he inwardly winced with each passing moment.

'_This is not going to be good,'_ thought Aragorn.

"You will not win this. Your city will fall, just like Sarcoy's," Banside snarled.

"I can assure you that we will survive anything the likes of you can throw at us. After all, the city lived through the assaults from Mordor," Aragorn retorted.

While keeping an eye on the gargoyle, Aragorn managed to steal a glance over at Elrohir, who was having his own problems with Sathed. The gargoyle kept jumping around while Elrohir kept searching for a chance to attack. It was obvious that the elf was quickly getting frustrated.

"Stop moving around will you and defend yourself?" Elrohir said with an exasperated sigh.

Sathed laughed, never noticing where he was slowly bounding towards as Elrohir watched him. The gargoyle slammed into the wall, and Elrohir took this chance to pin him against it.

"Do not make this harder than what it has to be," Elrohir quietly told him.

Sathed gave a cheeky smile before lifting his leg and kicking the elf in the stomach. Elrohir gasped for air as he fell to his knees. Sathed laughed as he hurried over to where Banside and Aragorn were battling.

The two were in a stalemate and the gargoyle immediately took notice of his comrade dancing to one side. Giving a smirk, Banside tentatively gave a step in Aragorn's direction before ducking down, allowing Sathed to jump over his head. The gargoyle hissed as he knocked the man backwards into a nearby wall. Aragorn cried out in pain as Banside hurried up to them.

"Like I told you earlier Aragorn, you can't win this," he sneered.

A screech came from nearby and Banside's gaze stepped over to Shentree, who was lying on her back, with Sarcoy hovering above her. A scowl crossed her face as she backed away from the elf. She stole the quickest of glimpses to both sides and gave the faintest of smiles.

"I told you will not win this, Shentree," Sarcoy told her.

"Believe what you will, Shilorian elf but tell your queen that we now have the upper hand," Shentree responded.

In the blink of an eye, she climbed to her feet and began to take flight. Both Banside and Sathed took notice and followed suit. Sarcoy leapt forward in order to catch the female gargoyle but missed but a few inches. Elrohir made his way over to Aragorn and the three helplessly watched as the gargoyles flew away. Sarcoy growled, balling his hands into fists. Aragorn slowly got to his feet, wincing slightly from the pain in his shoulder. But for Elrohir, a bad feeling quickly settled in his stomach. He frantically looked from side to side and his face paled.

"Where is Elladan?"

TBC…


	8. Separations, Captures and Reunions

Aragorn and Elrohir slowly made their way into the main hall, with Sarcoy behind them, keeping an eye out for gargoyles. Thranduil took notice of them and rushed to their sides. The worry increased with the elf's features as he saw the dejected stares on the returning faces.

"What happened? Where is Elladan?" he demanded.

No one answered as Elrohir slumped into a chair and covered his face with his hands. Aragorn couldn't even look at his companions and he turned away from them. It was Sarcoy who finally stepped towards the king.

"After we battled the gargoyles, Elladan was nowhere to be found. We carefully searched the area where we were fighting them and we have come to the conclusion that the gargoyles have him," Sarcoy grimly explained.

Thranduil couldn't believe what he was hearing and he felt like he had been punched in the stomach. He remained silent as he managed to walk over to the window. Giving a sigh, he couldn't help but stare at the smoke still rising up within the city.

"What has happened here? My world is crumbling before my eyes: my daughter nearly dies giving birth and then subsequently she, my son and granddaughter are all whisked away to some unknown land. Then my son-in-law is abducted by the one race that has caused my family the most trouble," Thranduil snorted.

Sarcoy couldn't find the words as he stood in the middle of the room. He wasn't certain how to proceed from here for he wasn't expecting the gargoyles to attack while he was there.

"Listen, I…" he started.

The sound of an opening door caught all their attentions and Elrond marched into the room. His eyes were frantic and they soon came to his one son sitting beside the table. Elrond rushed up to him and squeezed his son's shoulders.

"Elrohir, you are safe!" he cried.

The smile that began to appear on his face quickly disappeared once he saw the dejected look on his son's face.

"Father, I may be safe but Elladan is not. He was captured by the gargoyles," Elrohir managed to sputter out.

Sarcoy narrowed his eyes as he examined the new arrival. He slowly moved his way towards Elrond, who slumped into the chair beside his son.

"Elrond, son of Earendil, I am sorry that it is under such unfortunate circumstances on which we have to meet again," Sarcoy said.

Elrond glanced up, an irate look on his face. He climbed to his feet and stormed up to Sarcoy, who couldn't help but notice the tears beginning to run down the elf's face.

"I will never understand your people. I only wish you could have left my family out of this war of yours," Elrond coldly said.

"You know that is not possible! The circumstances have prevented it!" protested Sarcoy.

Elrond couldn't help but snicker as he began to pace across the floor. After several long moments, he turned back to the messenger.

"As much as I hate to admit it, you have explained that to me so many times already but what about the ones who never knew about your war? You know exactly who I am talking about. What do you think is going to happen when they are suddenly thrust into the heat of _your_ battles and they have absolutely no idea how to help?" Elrond posed.

Sarcoy suddenly became quiet and everyone's stare turned in his direction. He could see the curiousity written on all their faces and he wasn't sure how to answer them. He simply stared at Elrond, who was impatiently waiting for a response.

"Just as I thought: silence is again your answer. I am afraid there is nothing I can do for you now," Elrond replied.

The dark-haired elf began to storm towards the door, leaving behind a very perplexed group. Sarcoy rushed after Elrond and grabbed his elbow.

"Elrond, wait!" he said.

"Wait? Wait for what? Listen to me Sarcoy, I have had this burden ever since the day I met your queen millennia ago. She swore me to secrecy and I have kept my promise, despite everything that I knew would follow. The question that _you_ have to answer now is what are you going to do about my son?" Elrond questioned.

Sarcoy gulped as he took in what Elrond told him. The thoughts and ideas raced through his mind, trying to form a plan to rescue the elven twin. Aragorn stepped up to Elrond as they waited for a response.

"Elrond, we will find Elladan," the man tried to assure him.

"I wish I could believe you Aragorn but things just took a turn for the worse," Elrond replied.

00000

The first thing Elladan knew was the pain coursing through his head. He groaned and tried to move his hands but as his mind cleared, he realized what had happened: his arms were hanging above his head by a chain. Fear completely engulfed Elladan as his eyes frantically searched the enclosure.

'_Where am I?'_

The words raced through his mind, trying to find any indication to where he was located or whoever brought him here.

"My, my, my, what do we have here?" a voice called to him.

Elladan twirled his head to the sound of a familiar voice to find the four figures standing near the doorway. Shentree stepped forward and began to circle the elf.

"Elladan, it is so good for you to join us. Too bad your little wife couldn't have joined us," she mused.

"Let me go," he snarled.

Banside, Sathed and Yancha all took positions around the defenseless elf. Elladan carefully eyed every single one of them and tried to prepare himself for the inevitable attack he knew he would suffer. His stare was quickly drawn back to Shentree when she marched into his view, the look on her face an unpleasant one.

"So did he tell you where they were?" she demanded.

"Where who is? No one has told me anything," Elladan retorted.

Shentree nodded her head and the elf felt a hand run down his back. A sharp intake of air passed his lips as he experienced the sting from the claws. Elladan's eyes flared with resistance as he tried not to show the pain.

"You know exactly who I mean! Where did they take Legolas and Nanaylia?" she roared.

She roughly grasped his chin and forced it to face hers. The anger dripped from her features before she brought her arm around and her hand connected with his face. Now looking to the side with a handprint starting to appear on his cheek, Elladan managed to move his stare back to the gargoyle. He clenched his teeth, trying not to cry out.

"I do not know. Sarcoy never mentioned where they were, only that they were safe under the care of his queen," he gritted through his teeth.

Shentree's anger turned into amusement as she gave a lopsided smile. Elladan had to wonder what was so funny as he watched her move away from him. At the last moment, Shentree turned back to the elf.

"He truly never mentioned exactly where they were? That is interesting. What do you think, my friends?" Shentree asked.

"That is indeed interesting. They are as wary as ever. It figures they would not give it up so easily. They must have known that we might be lurking about. Their secretive habits have always been hard to break," Banside replied.

Shentree carefully stepped closer until her face was only a few inches from Elladan's. A snarl curled into his lips as he tried to move away from her with no success.

"Tell me, elf. What do you know of Shiloria?" she wondered.

"It is a myth. I heard many stories about the land from Legolas and Nanaylia's mother. What about it?" he spat at them.

The quartet burst into laughter. Sathed rolled onto his back, his hands around his waist as if trying to keep it together. Banside covered his eyes as he leaned against the wall. After a few long moments, Shentree managed to calm down enough to talk only to see a very perplexed Elladan.

"What is so funny?" Elladan had to ask.

"She kept so much from you, probably in order to protect everyone. The truth is Shiloria exists and we plan to take it over. The bad news for you is that your precious wife and brother-in-law are most likely within its borders," she explained.

00000

Caldhan led the two siblings down the hallway. All three had been completely silent since they left the room. The elder elf glanced back at them and gave a sigh.

"You should know that some of the elves you are about to meet may not be as welcome as I am," she told them.

"There is going to be more than one elf present? I thought we were going to see the queen," questioned Nanaylia.

"We are but I never said we were the only ones. The queen is returning from a short trek with one of her advisors and she is bringing news to the several lords and ladies within our lands about the increasing gargoyle threat," Caldhan explained.

Legolas still appeared to be quite apprehensive about the situation and Nanaylia could see it. They had waited all this time to see the queen they had heard so little about. Neither of them was certain what to expect as they walked up to a door.

"Here we are," Caldhan told them.

Holding out a hand, she led the brother and sister inside to be greeted by several elves. As they stepped inside, several glanced in their direction. Some gave warm smiles while others gave angry stares.

"Looks like you were right," muttered Nanaylia.

The three carefully moved around the crowd and towards the throne, which Legolas noticed was unoccupied. He gave sigh as his stomach rolled around for his mind was growing anxious to meet the queen.

"If you will excuse me, I have go check on the status of things with a few of the others. Please wait here but be careful," Caldhan told them.

The two nodded their heads as they watched her walk away from them. Legolas folded his arms as Nanaylia sat down on a nearby chair.

"This is all so strange. I wish I could make sense of it all," he absently said.

"I concur. Manlin's intentions made more sense than this," agreed Nanaylia.

As Legolas carefully studied the other elves in the room, he never noticed one of them making their way for their position. The elf passed behind Legolas and bumped his shoulder into the Mirkwood elf's back. Narrowing his eyes, Legolas stared at the newcomer as Nanaylia gradually climbed to her feet.

"Excuse me, I am so sorry," he apologized.

"You are Alkor, are you not?" Nanaylia wondered.

The elf straightened up and stepped up to Nanaylia. He gave her a stern look and Nanaylia was almost growling. It appeared that this confrontation was going to be no better than the first one.

"Yes, I am. You are still not welcome here so why do you not go back to where you came from?" he told them.

Legolas moved in between the two and gave Alkor a hard look. Alkor snickered as he stepped back a few times.

"Keep away from her or else I will not be so nice," Legolas warned him.

"You will not be nice? You remind me of the gargoyles for they have never been 'nice'. Why do you not go join them? I believe you would fit right in for they are not like us either," Alkor wondered.

A growl began to begin within Legolas' stomach over the comment. A snarl began to appear on his face, though managing to keep an eye on Nanaylia's reaction. She wasn't happy either as she tried to move around her brother. He stopped with an arm before he grabbed Alkor by the throat and shoved him against the nearby wall, not caring that it was beginning to draw a crowd.

"You better take that back! You do not know the torment Nanaylia and I went through with the gargoyles!" he yelled.

A door slammed from across the room and everyone turned in the direction from where it came. Legolas released Alkor and he backed up as the crowd began to move out of the way. As the elves slightly bowed their heads, both Nanaylia and Legolas paled once they saw who was approaching them. Alkor dropped to one knee, the sweat all over his face.

"M-my queen," he stuttered.

"I will not have this bickering in my court! Alkor, stay away from them before I decide to have you thrown out of Shiloria forever!" the female elf coldly warned.

Alkor gulped, nodding in response before scurrying away to the crowd. Legolas and Nanaylia barely noticed him leaving for they never took their eyes away from the Shilorian queen. With her long, flowing blonde hair, warm smile and that twinkle in her eye, it was a sight they were never expecting to see again.

"Legolas, Nanaylia, it is so good to see you again. It has been too long," she beamed.

It was Legolas who managed to speak up first, breaking out of the total disbelief that overwhelmed them both.

"M-Mother?"

TBC…


	9. The Final Offer

"Can it truly be you, Mother? You are actually standing here?" Legolas posed.

To the queen, the sadness and disbelief were clearly evident in their faces. She hated to tell them the truth now but knew it was inevitable that this day would come.

"It cannot be possible! You are dead!" protested Nanaylia.

There were several elves with their eyes opened in astonishment while a number of others who simply gave a snicker. Alarya gave a sad smile as she gave a quick glance back at her subjects, who began to talk amongst themselves. She turned her attention back to her children, who were intently watching her every move. When she stepped closer, both Legolas and Nanaylia backed away. She lifted a hand and the two suddenly backed into a wall. They were puzzled once they saw that they were nowhere near the stone wall of the castle, giving their mother enough time to lean towards them.

"Now is not the time to talk about that for they know nothing about my return, only that I had to quickly leave Mirkwood, along with everything and everyone in it, behind," she barely said.

The siblings felt they should do as she said and they watched as the elf moved towards the throne. She faced the crowd and eyed each and every face.

"The gargoyles know what we have done. They know we have brought our people home from every corner of Middle Earth. With my children being the last to return, I know the gargoyles will be eager to make their move. If they do manage to get past our defenses, we may not have enough elves to hold them back and everyone could be killed," Alarya called to them.

"And how could we let such a thing happen?" asked one elf.

She hesitated for a moment, fully expecting the question. She stole a look at her children before answering the elf.

"Many elves, myself included, never thought this day would happen so my guards did not put a lot of their training for such an attack. We were mistaken and now everyone is going to pay for our overconfidence," she explained.

Not many of the elves were happy with the news yet they were all aware to some extent of what they heard. Legolas carefully studied the other elves in the room for the reactions. He took notice that Alkor was fidgeting in his position on the floor and that Caldhan was now standing at the back of the room, a stern look on her face.

"When you go home, prepare yourselves for the worst. If any of you believe you can help, do not hesitate to see me," Alarya explained.

Another elf stepped forward, the curiousity written on her face.

"And how do you propose that we stop the gargoyles? They have most likely been getting stronger since their banishment millennia ago. I know we never took their threat to return seriously but we are not warriors," she wondered.

"I realize that but what choice do we have right now? The gargoyles have given us nothing but trouble in the past but they have decided to make this their final stand! Either you can help defend our kingdom or we lose it and our freedom to our enemies. We managed it before because the gargoyles attacked in small groups. As everyone should know already, they are now banding together and planning a full-scale assault, the likes no one have never seen before," she explained.

The murmuring continued amongst the crowd of elves. Legolas could feel the tension rising in the room and a similar reaction could be seen: all of them were scared to some extent. Their mother turned to them and gave a grim look. She gave a sigh as she scanned the crowd as she stepped towards them.

"There is nothing more I can do. If enough of them decide to hone their skills, there may yet be hope," she said with a sad smile. "Now I am certain you have a few questions. What would you like to know?"

00000

"I do not think there is a way to help Elladan here. I must return to my kingdom to relay what has happened to my queen," Sarcoy finally said.

Elrond's eyes shot up from where he was sitting to the Shilorian elf. The anger raged through him over the kidnap of his son yet it was Thranduil who stepped forward first.

"And how do you propose your queen will help us? I have yet to know her name. It is almost like it is a curse to even speak it," wondered the king.

Aragorn and Elrohir stood on either side of the elf, preventing him from making a hasty exit. Sarcoy gave a sigh as he made eye contact with all of them.

"We were hoping it would not come to this. My queen might end up requesting that all of you come to our home to proceed from there," Sarcoy replied.

Elrond clambered to his feet and stormed over to the elf. Grasping Sarcoy by the collar, Elrond placed a snarl on his face.

"You are not taking my other son anywhere! I have seen too much trouble from your people to allow this!" Elrond growled.

"Elrond, allow Sarcoy to finish what he was saying!" Aragorn sternly said.

The dark-haired elf released the Shilorian elf yet he didn't move an inch. Crossing his arms, Elrond waited for a good explanation.

"We may not have a choice. If my queen decides to request your help in defending _my _kingdom, I doubt any of you will be able to refuse. In truth, Elrond, you of all elves cannot refuse!" Sarcoy replied, his voice beginning to rise.

Elrond turned around, waving him away. It was apparent he wanted nothing to do with the new elf, his queen or his kingdom as he stormed up to Sarcoy.

"I _cannot_ refuse? Have you forgotten what I have done for your queen already? I have always wondered why I did everything," wondered Elrond.

Elrohir stepped up to his father and gently placed a hand on his father's arm. Thranduil carefully watched the elf he had known for millennia and was confused for he had never seen Elrond act like this before. The king couldn't possibly imagine how the two could have met for his friend had never spoken of him before.

"Ada, what is going on here? You are not making any sense! How can we not trust him at this point?" Elrohir demanded.

"Yes Sarcoy, all questions and no answers. I can imagine your queen can answer a few," Elrond replied, ignoring his son's question and his stare never leaving Sarcoy, "Go to her if you must but remember that I do not approve of where this situation is headed."

Sarcoy gulped, nodding his head. He stooped closer to the ground, transforming into a wolf. It scurried out of the room and the elves and man watched it leave. Elrohir, Aragorn and Thranduil all turned towards Elrond, who remained silent. The anger burned in his features and he took a deep breath.

00000

"No, it cannot be! Shiloria cannot possibly exist! Even if it did, you could not take took it over its inhabitants for they are powerful elves," he protested.

Shentree gave a sneaky smile, her tail whipping around behind her. Banside stepped up to the elf and gave him a punch to the stomach. Elladan felt the air escape his lungs and he gasped as he watched the gargoyles, wide-eyed. Yancha moved up behind him and began to trail her claws down his back.

"But they do exist and we will kill most of them. A special few would become our slaves and I'm certain Nanaylia and Legolas would be among them," she purred in his ear.

"You would not dare!" he protested through gritted teeth.

Shentree reached up and roughly grasped his collar, pulling him closer until he was only a few inches from her face. Elladan grimaced as his arms were now being pulled at an awkward angle.

"Of course we would! The things we would do to them while we would force their pathetic mother into hard labour within that palace of hers! Now _that_ would be ironic," Shentree snarled.

Elladan could not believe what he was hearing. He wanted to shut it out but found his ears weren't letting him. He didn't want to believe that his wife and friend were royalty of not one but two kingdoms.

"That's right elf. You're smart and I can see you've put these few pieces together: Legolas and Nanaylia's mother, Alarya, is queen of Shiloria. She was quite young when she came into power and she banished us all those millennia ago. So you can see why we have always chased after her precious children. It was pure mockery that they eventually became what she despised the most," Shentree mused.

Elladan ears were ringing with the news so badly that he did not feel himself falling back as Shentree released him. His mind barely registered the pain from his injuries.

"Congratulations Elladan, you're married to a Shilorian elf. The better news is that they have extremely long life spans for their kind is hard to kill," Banside laughed.

The corners of Shentree's mouth turned upwards as she scanned Elladan. Glancing to her companions, they knew what was coming.

"My dear friends: get a few troops together. We're heading out to Shiloria and making a nice, pleasant visit. It will be the first move in our takeover," Shentree smirked.

Yancha, Banside and Sathed all grinned before they headed out the doors. Shentree remained in the room and leaned in towards Elladan. She gave a smirk as he tried to look away. She took out a key and released his arms from the chains. Elladan dropped to the ground and he snarled as he narrowed his eyes at the gargoyle.

"Don't feel so bad, elf, I'll make certain the two of you get a cell together. Nanaylia and Legolas cannot escape us this time," she told him. "I'll be back once we've returned."

She walked out the door and Elladan hung his head as soon as she left. He couldn't believe that his child was going to suffer so much so early.

00000

"Even after all that you have told us Mother, I still do not understand why you could not tell why you had to fake your death. Father was heartbroken for weeks after and we were unsure what we would do without you," Legolas sighed.

Alarya took a moment to think about her answer before making eye contact with both of her children. She glanced over to a nearby window and stepped over to it. Bowing her head slightly, Nanaylia and Legolas gave each other a quick look before following her.

"I could never tell your father for he would never understand. He had heard about Shiloria before I came along and even then he thought the place was a myth. He is one stubborn elf and never would have wanted me to leave. As for you two, you were too young to explain that Shiloria was a real place and in terrible danger. I did not want to put that burden on you two at such a young age," she explained. "On top of that, to tell you that you are half-Shilorian and naturally have magical powers, it would be too much to bear."

Nanaylia carefully watched her arm as she gently opened and closed her fingers. She appeared to be slightly morose before she looked up towards her brother. They knew what was on each other's mind. Alarya glanced between her children and gave a sigh.

"The magic coursing within your blood is in no way Manlin's doing. He already knew it was there and simply manipulated to his own evil purpose," she finally told them.

Both of them appeared stunned with what their mother knew about their past with Manlin. Legolas stepped forward, hoping for a confirmation with the elf that started all their troubles. Alarya hesitated, debating if she should tell them this soon.

"Manlin was indeed a Shilorian elf…and he followed me to Middle Earth. He hoped that he would be able to get the power he wanted there which he could not get here," she replied.

Legolas narrowed his eyes, detecting that she was holding something back. He crossed his arms and cocked his head to one side. She noticed his reaction and lowered her head slightly, closing her eyes.

"I know what you are thinking. There is more to this and you may as well know. No amount of time makes it easier. Manlin is…" she started.

A loud screech outside diverted their attention. Alarya blanched as she recognized the sounds immediately.

"The gargoyles are here!" she cried.

Legolas hurried to the window to find the gargoyles flying about the skies. He turned back towards his mother and sister. Nanaylia appeared frantic and began to rush out of the room yet Alarya grabbed her arm.

"There is no sense to go to your daughter yet! The elves in that room are now in a protective bubble which will allow no one in or out!" she sternly said.

The other elves in the room began to panic and run about. Alarya felt helpless before leading her children to wards the door.

"I will need your help to stop them. You are most familiar with their tactics," she said.

They were stopped before they even reached the door by a well-known face, who smirked. With her arms folded, Shentree marched into the room. The reaction from the elves was complete silence, now oblivious to the noises outside.

"It's been a long time Alarya. Too bad this time won't end so well for you," she laughed.

Nanaylia growled as she began to step closer, but her mother stopped her daughter by placing an arm in front of her.

"What do you want this time Shentree?" demanded Alarya.

The gargoyle moved closer to the queen, a grin still written on her face. The elf scowled as Shentree moved through the crowd towards her.

"This is your final warning Alarya. We will make a full scale assault unless you give in to our demands," Shentree told her.

"I will never consider it! You gave up your chance to live in peaceful Shiloria millennia ago when my mother ruled. I simply banished you when I had the chance," Alarya replied.

Shentree carefully eyed the three of them, a smirk still written on her face. Her stare came to Nanaylia and grinned from ear to ear.

"You're becoming as pretentious as most of your subjects. Maybe your daughter would want to have a say in this," offered the gargoyle. "Since we have her husband, she may want you to reconsider."

Nanaylia growled, her eyes flaring in anger as she stepped toward Shentree. Alarya and Legolas managed to grab her arms and prevented her from getting closer. She struggled in their grasp as she tried to lunge for the gargoyle.

"Give him back!" Nanaylia cried out.

"Don't worry, we're not doing that we are not going to do to the likes of everyone here. We're considering him the first prisoner of war," Shentree said with a smile.

A loud yelp came from the hallway and everyone's stare turned to see a wolf being led into the room by Banside. Alarya's heart dropped once she saw who it. The wolf slunk to the front of the crowd, its tail between its legs.

"I found him trying to sneak into the castle," Banside told her.

Shentree folded her arms as she returned her stare back to Alarya.

"Listen carefully Alarya. If you indeed fail to respond to our demands, we will start the killing with your son-in-law," she threatened.

Shentree headed for the door and as soon as she left, Alarya and Legolas released Nanaylia, who ran for the door. As soon as she was satisfied that the two had left, she stormed back to her brother and mother.

"Why did you let her go? I needed to know the truth about whether or not they have Elladan! She is a liar!" she demanded.

Her mother didn't respond as the wolf carefully walked up to them. The animal eyed the trio before he slowly transformed back into an elf.

"They have him, my princess. The gargoyles attacked Minas Tirith while I was there relaying the news of your whereabouts. They somehow knew that you two were there and they went to kill you," the elf explained.

"That is troubling news, Sarcoy. We may have to take some drastic measures. We need some help," Alarya told them.

Legolas and Nanaylia glanced at each other, the irritation written all over their faces. She folded her arms across her chest, wondering what was going to happen next.

"How do you propose that? You said yourself that no one here really knows how to deal with the gargoyles besides Nanaylia and myself," wondered Legolas.

Alarya stepped towards the window, glancing out towards the open fields.

"I just might have to ask your father and friends to come here to help us and there are a number of my people who are not going to like that at all," she replied.

TBC…


	10. The Inevitable Meeting

_I have to go see your father about the situation. Meanwhile, I need the two of you to help my guards and all volunteers that turn up. I feel your expertise with the gargoyles is invaluable. Simply please do not let them know anything yet about your gargoyle forms. _

The words of their mother rang through Legolas' mind as he paced in front of the Shilorian guards standing in straight lines in front of him. Nanaylia stood several feet away from him as both were wondering where to begin these training exercises. The elves carefully watched the two before Legolas suddenly stopped and faced them.

"We are ready whenever you are, my Lord and Lady. Where do you want to begin?" questioned one of the guards.

Legolas carefully thought about the question as he turned to face the guard. He carefully watched the soldier and stepped up to him.

"I am a bit unsure where to begin for I imagine you and your people are used to performing magic against the gargoyles: Nanaylia and I have always used weapons or hand-to-hand combat," Legolas explained.

"A result of your upbringing, I see. I should have known," another elf muttered.

Legolas and Nanaylia looked to where the voice came from to find a familiar face. They gave an inward sigh as Nanaylia made her way over to him. Narrowing her eyes, she watched him as he folded his arms.

"Alkor, our ways may be different than yours but they have worked in the past," she replied.

The elf began to make his way around her and towards Legolas, who managed to remain calm. It seemed to both Legolas and Nanaylia that Alkor was out to stir up some trouble again.

"I am still taking the queen's threat seriously but remember that there are many in Shiloria who not approve of your presence," he warned them.

Legolas clenched his fists in an attempt to not slap the elf right then and there. Alkor smirked as he circled around Legolas. The head guard tensed up slightly to prepare himself for the possible confrontation. Nanaylia walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Giving him a knowing glance, the guard eased up.

"Alkor, could you tell me who your father is?" Nanaylia piped up.

The elf was caught off-guard by the question and he stared at Nanaylia, an extremely puzzled look on his face. She turned towards him and gave him a cheeky smile.

"You heard me correctly, Alkor. Who is your father?" she repeated.

"My father is Manlin. Why do you ask?" he replied.

Nanaylia glanced over to her brother, a knowing smile on her face. He gave a laugh once he realized what she was doing.

"I ask because I wanted to confirm what I already had known. You look just like your father and your attitude is shaping up similar to his as well. Now, you can either join us or step out of the way," she explained.

Alkor simply laughed as he crossed his arms. He carefully narrowed his eyes and watched the female elf. It was as if he was saying 'you can't show me anything new'. Nanaylia stepped back a few times and held out her hands towards the elf.

"Show me what you have and do not hesitate simply because it is me," she told him.

Alkor stared at her, slightly confused. It took him a moment to react, creating an energy field around himself before lunging forward. Nanaylia didn't seem the least bit fazed as she dropped to her knees at the last possible moment and lunged towards him, tackling him to the ground. The air left his lungs and he lay on the ground for several moments.

"Lesson number one, it does not matter to the gargoyles what defenses you are using. They will find some way to get around it, no matter how long it takes," she explained.

Alkor stole a glare at her, wide-eyed before he managed to climb up to his feet and quickly hurrying out of the area, feeling more than a little humiliated. As she watched him leave, she stepped over to the head guard.

"What does he do when he is not around the palace?" she wondered.

"I am unsure. I shall inquire about if you wish. I am curious to know why you ask such a question," he replied.

She hesitated, unsure if he knew anything of Manlin's deeds. She moved ahead slightly and watched as Alkor slipped out of sight.

"I simply want to settle my mind on where his allegiances lie," Nanaylia replied.

00000

Elladan barely heard the combination of laughing and screeching outside his cell door. Every part of his body ached with pain and he never noticed the door slam open. Shentree stepped inside and gave a laugh.

"You are pathetic, elf, along with every last of your kin!" she yelled.

"Why…do you not just kill me…and get it over with?" Elladan managed to sputter out.

The gargoyle snickered as she moved over to him. She knelt down and gave him a look over before smacking him across the face.

"It wouldn't as much fun to simply tell Nanaylia about your death as for her to actually see it! You seem to have forgotten that we take pleasure in such things," she reminded him.

Elladan mustered enough strength to shoot a snarl towards the gargoyle towering above him. Shentree knelt down to one knee and lifted up Elladan by the collar.

"Take any joy you can get within the next few days for they may be your last ones of 'freedom', so to speak," she told him.

"If you call _this_ freedom," he retorted.

She gave a quick laugh before shoving him back onto the floor. She swiftly turned around and exited the room, leaving a slightly distraught elf behind. Elladan carefully climbed to his feet and made his way over to the door. Glancing out of the window, he hoped that his wife and brother-in-law, along with their new friends, would be able to come up with a plan in time.

00000

"So let me get this straight Elrond. You knew about these elves that could do such magnificent things like Gandalf? And you couldn't say anything about them?" Aragorn questioned.

Elrond barely managed to nod his head in response to the query. His thoughts were still consumed by anger over his son's capture.

"If I did not know any better Aragorn, I would say he was a Shilorian elf. They know such magic," Thranduil pondered.

Aragorn curiously glanced in the elven king's direction. He didn't know what he was looking for, if it were a better explanation from him or a better answer from Elrond. Without being prompted, Thranduil furthered his statement.

"Shilorian elves are supposed to be powerful beings, with almost limitless magic at their disposal. It is only rumoured that Sauron was involved in talks with them long ago. What they discussed has been forever lost in time. Apparently, it was soon after this that they began to retreat from Middle Earth. Mostly out of everyone else's fear of them. The story goes that a few stayed behind and managed to integrate themselves into the Elven colonies here without detection. But these stories are only myths," Thranduil explained.

"How do you know? You all saw Sarcoy with your own eyes transform into a wolf and back again," Elrond whispered.

Thranduil hesitated, a bit unsure how to respond as Elrond slowly climbed to his feet and walked over to the king.

"Shiloria exists, Thranduil, and that is where your children have been taken for their own protection," Elrond calmly replied.

Everyone stood there silently for several seconds before Elrohir began to quietly laugh. A smile crossed his face and the others couldn't help but stare at him.

"Ada, Shiloria has always been a bedtime story that Alarya told Elladan and me when we were younger," Elrohir said.

Thranduil stepped forward, crossing his arms and a smile creeping onto his face. The disbelief that the king felt was obvious to everyone.

"I have to agree with your son, Elrond. For all we know, Sarcoy could be a spy and he could be from the Far East or even the South," Thranduil questioned.

As he was speaking, the group barely registered hearing the door opening, allowing a figure to step inside. It was Aragorn who first noticed the newest arrival. The others soon followed his stare and Thranduil blanched when he saw who standing before them.

"But Sarcoy was not lying to you and neither is Elrond," she told everyone.

"A…Alarya, how can you be alive? I gazed upon your dead body myself!" demanded Thranduil.

He rushed up to her in order to embrace her but she held up a hand. With a sad gaze upon her face, it looked like she was about to cry.

"It is possible because I am Shilorian. I know you have heard the stories about us," Alarya replied.

Thranduil nodded as Elrohir and Aragorn turned towards him for an answer. By this time, Elrond stepped back and decided to remain silent.

"Shilorians cannot die by any means, save by the hand of their own people," Thranduil gulped.

Alarya nodded as her stare rested on Elrond, who tried to avoid her gaze. Elrohir carefully stepped over to Aragorn's side in order to listen to what the elf had to say.

"I am the queen that Sarcoy has already told you about. I have come to you in order to request your help," Alarya explained.

They glanced at each other, the surprise evident on their faces. The Shilorian queen faintly smiled at the reactions for they were all mixed. Elrond remained calm while Aragorn and Elrohir were quite interested. Thranduil, on the other hand was almost to tears.

"I know what all of you are thinking: why am I asking you for help when we are supposed to be such powerful beings? The reason is simple. My people do not have the expertise as you do concerning the gargoyles, despite the fact that they have been our enemies for centuries. We have barriers which have kept them out this long but they are starting to dissolve and they are able to get through now," she explained.

The group was completely silent, unsure how to respond. Thranduil stepped back until he fell into a nearby chair. His hands were shaking terribly as he placed his head into them.

"I realize this is hard to accept but I do need your help. Consider this: if you care to see Elladan, Legolas or Nanaylia alive again, it might be in your best interests to help. It is up to you to decide whether you join me or not," Alarya replied.

Aragorn and Elrohir glanced at each other, slightly taken aback by the request. Elrond stepped forward when no one else said anything.

"Then it is true that you do need our help. If that is the way it has to be, I am with you all the way; despite the fact I am going to greatly regret this, like what I have with everything else," Elrond replied.

Elrohir stepped forward and placed a hand on his father's shoulder. Aragorn stood directly behind them as they nodded their heads.

"I would go to the ends of Middle Earth if it means I can save my brother from certain death," Elrohir replied as Aragorn nodded.

Alarya gave a smile as her stare went from the three of them back to Thranduil, who remained silent the entire time. Elrond silently motioned to his son and Aragorn, who slowly took notice and followed him out of the room. The queen of Shiloria began to reach towards Thranduil but he inched his stare away, closing his eyes. The tears poured down his face as he placed a hand over his face. It was clear that he felt somewhat betrayed by her actions.

"Thranduil, please do not hate me for this. I have always loved you and our children and I never wanted to leave any of you but my duties as the queen of Shiloria called me away. You know how hard it is to rule a kingdom," she whispered.

Thranduil listened to her words, shaking his head faintly. He managed to take a deep breathe and he lifted his head enough to stare at his long-lost wife.

"Alarya, we missed you so much. I still cannot comprehend why you could not have told us," he wondered.

She gave a small laugh, a cheeky smile crossing her face. He narrowed his eyes, curious as to why she was suddenly laughing.

"Would you have believed me?" Alarya posed.

"Well…" Thranduil started.

He thought about the statement for a moment before giving a sigh and shaking his head. Glancing downward, he gave in to her question.

"I like to think that I would have said yes but in the end, I do not think I could have believed you," he finally admitted.

"I thought as much. I know you are upset with me over what I did and I cannot change that. If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I will be there," Alarya replied.

She began to make her way towards the door. Before she stepped out, she hesitated for a moment. Alarya glanced back at her husband, taking in the heartbreaking look on his face and her own heart dropped.

"If it makes you feel any better, I had someone keep a close eye on the three of you. I enjoyed every new tale my aide told me. In the end, she had become quite fond of you and my children. When I asked her about the experience, she had become more than delighted to have served you," Alarya called back to him.

Closing the door behind her, Thranduil barely heard the words she spoke. Several seconds had passed before he fully took in what she had said. Staring at the door with his jaw to the floor, he found himself unable to speak. After a few long minutes, Thranduil managed to find his voice again.

"A-a Shilorian elf w-was serving…me?" he asked out loud.

TBC…


	11. The Hate, the Rage and the Hopeful

Nanaylia watched her brother as he talked the troops through another lesson. She leaned against a tree, placing a hand on her stomach as it began to ache slightly. The head guard took notice and stepped over to her.

"My Lady, if you are ill, please head inside the palace. Your brother is progressing just fine with my troops," he told her.

Nanaylia's stare went from the guard before her to the others. Seeing how well they were doing, she reluctantly nodded her head.

"I shall do that. Besides, I need to get back to my daughter," she sighed.

"If you need anything, anything at all, let me know. Ask anyone willing to talk to you for Jarsay and I shall be there. I shall let your brother know of your departure," the elf explained.

Nanaylia gave a smile before she began to make her way back inside the palace. Before she made a few steps away from the scene, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She glanced back to see Jarsay retracting his arm back and giving a slight cough.

"My Lady, I wish to tell you that if anyone should give you a hard time about your father to let me know and I shall take personally care of them," he told her.

Nanaylia couldn't help but smile and gave a slight nod of the head.

"Thank you. It is good to know someone looks beyond that part," she replied.

The head guard watched as Nanaylia turned around and continued her journey back into the palace. As she walked through the halls, she received a few stares and whispers from the others she passed. As she stepped up to the nursery, she heard a loud voice coming from inside.

"I demand that that child and her parents are escorted out of the castle! She is a disgrace to everyone who lives here! I will not allow my child to consort with such filth!" a female voice cried out.

"I-I am afraid y-your request is not…possible," stuttered the aide.

"And why is it not possible? One or both of the parents are below us! Why the queen wanted to bring _them_ here is beyond my comprehension. If you ask me, that babe is the most pathetic sight I have ever seen!" the elf snarled.

As the elf was speaking, Nanaylia carefully opened the door. Once the aide saw her, she gasped and dropped to one knee. The lady angrily turned around, unsure what to expect. It was obvious to the aide that the elf didn't know who Nanaylia was.

"Who might you be? I have not seen you around here," she questioned.

Nanaylia stared at her, wide-eyed. She took a deep breath, not wanting to make too much of a scene. She thought about what she was going to say before opening up her mouth.

"My name is Nanaylia I am the mother of that child you just insulted," she calmly replied.

"I see, and then you are the one who I desire to speak to. Who is your father? I wish to speak with him about your stay here," questioned the elf.

"It is not my father you seek, it is my mother," Nanalia coldly explained.

The elf gave a disbelieving laugh as she moved closer to the Elven princess. With her arms crossed, she stood her ground against the towering elf.

"Who might she be then? It must be someone of some importance but not too important for I know I would have known about it," she said.

"My mother is Alarya, your queen," Nanaylia retorted.

The elf's eyes rose in interest yet it was obvious the elf didn't believe her. She snickered, unaware they were being watched.

"How do I know you are not lying?" she wondered.

"Because she is not," a voice called to them.

The trio glanced towards the door to find a familiar figure. Nanaylia blanched once she saw who it was. The lady backed away as the figure stepped into the room.

"And because I can vouch for her," she replied.

The elf turned towards Nanaylia, the sweat pouring down her face.

"I-I-I apologize for the misunderstanding. If I may part company with you," she quickly managed to sputter out.

Nanaylia angrily nodded her head, a growl starting to emit from deep within her throat. A hand on her shoulder shook her out of her trance. A worried look crossed her face as she placed her hand over the one on her shoulder.

"What are you doing here, Chimone? You are supposed to be in Minas Tirith!" she wondered.

Chimone gave a sad smile, lowering her stare slightly. She walked over to Nanaylia, fully knowing what to expect.

"I am here because my queen summoned me back home, just like you," she replied.

Nanaylia couldn't believe her ears. After all she had seen and heard in the last few days, it seemed like this was the last straw.

"Was there anyone else in my father's court that was from Shiloria?" she demanded.

"There was no one else. Only your mother, Manlin and I were of Shiloria and no one was in any way aware our little secret. For the most part, we did not let it show or slip," Chimone explained. "Now get your daughter and come with me. We need to talk privately."

Nanaylia barely managed to swallow before nodding. She scooped up her daughter and followed her lifelong companion down the hallway.

00000

Legolas carefully watched the troops as they sparred with each other. As he passed one elf, he never saw the irritated stare. The elf broke off it off with his fellow guard and stormed up behind Legolas.

"Go back from where you came. Neither you nor your sister will ever be accepted here," he snarled.

Legolas twirled around and stared at the guard. He crossed his arms as Jarsay watched from a short distance away.

"Then how do you want to go about preparing yourselves for battle against the gargoyles?" Legolas wondered.

"We were doing fine on our own. This is not your war," the guard retorted.

Anger flared within Legolas' eyes as he roughly grasped the guard's arm. The rate at which Legolas moved surprised the elf greatly.

"Those monsters have my brother-in-law. You have not seen the atrocities they have committed against my family and friends, including the kidnapping of my sister and the torture of my father. Do not dare tell me that this is not my war," Legolas quietly told him.

He released the elf's arm, the anger still evident on his face. He took a few steps away from the crowd of elves, who had stopped their sparring. Not turning back towards them, Legolas took a deep breath.

"Are there many of you who feel this way? Are there many who feel that because my father is not Shilorian, I should not be allowed to be here?" Legolas wondered.

No one answered. Instead, they gave each other nervous glances. Jarsay smirked as he stepped forward and stood next to Legolas. The head guard eyed each and every one of the elves standing before him.

"I do not know about anyone else here but I am willing to die next to the prince. If any of you feel the same way as our comrade here, I want all of you to leave immediately. I will not tolerate any turmoil within my ranks. I admit we will certainly lose this war without you. The gargoyles will take over and will either kill you or make slaves of you but at least your conscience will be clear concerning Legolas and his sister," Jarsay lectured.

A murmuring began to spread amongst the elven guards. Legolas carefully watched them as none moved an inch.

"I am not trying to scare you; I am simply stating the facts. The gargoyles will take over Shiloria unless we are able to see past the inescapable truth: that our royal line has Middle-Earth blood within it. I am telling all of you now that if you cannot see past the sins of their people, then we are indeed doomed. They have agreed to help us despite the feelings of many of us towards them. Now the question is simple: can you look beyond what happened to accept their help?" Jarsay questioned.

The elven guards glanced at each other. None of them said anything before the one who initiated stepped forward. Crossing his arms, he gave a deep sigh.

"I am sorry Jarsay but I have heard this story repeated over and over again. I cannot see how these two will prove to me anything differently," he replied.

With that, he walked away from the group. The others watched as he disappeared into the distance. A couple others stepped forward and followed him. Jarsay eyed the guards he had left, shaking his head slightly before turning back to the others.

"Congratulations. Your chances are now barely a step above slim," he told them.

00000

Thranduil hardly noticed the silence that hung within the room. He couldn't help but think about Alarya. He found mixed feelings were swirling around in his head. As much as he was upset for not being told about Alarya's heritage, he still loved her.

"What am I to do?" he moaned.

Thranduil ran his fingers through his hair, the tears still sitting in his eyes. Closing them, his mind ran back to Legolas and Nanaylia and gave a deep sigh. Their images flashed in front of his eyes as voices began fill his ears.

"Father…" came Legolas' voice.

Thranduil cracked his eyes open to see the figure of his son standing before him.

"Father, please help us," came Nanaylia.

The father's skin began to pale as he looked between the 'ghosts' of his children. The two carefully moved towards the older elf. Thranduil took a couple steps back, the sweat pouring down his face.

"They hated us so much here. Where were you when we needed you?" questioned Legolas.

His granddaughter appeared in his daughter's arms. She glanced down at the baby before returning her gaze back to her father.

"They chased us out of Shiloria. Our mother was unable to stop them by herself. We could not find you in time before the gargoyles found us. Where were you?" Nanaylia told him.

"NO!" Thranduil cried.

He backed up until his back hit the wall. Snapping his eyes open, his frantic eyes searched for the spirits of his children. Seeing them nowhere, he realized what he was doing.

"What am I doing here? My children need me," he breathed.

He glanced towards the door before sprinted for it, hoping that Alarya hadn't gone too far.

00000

Alarya carefully made her way through the halls, searching for Elrond, Aragorn and Elrohir. She knew she had done everything she could to persuade her husband into going with her to her homeland.

Several thoughts swirled through her mind about the whole situation with the gargoyles and reuniting with her children and husband in the process. She stepped through the door to be greeted by a quartet. The four glanced towards her and a silence filled the room. Alarya gave a smile once she saw who had joined them.

"Arwen, it is so good to see you again," Alarya said.

"As with you," Arwen replied, giving a smile herself.

"What brings you here?" she wondered.

Aragorn couldn't help but give a guilty look as his eyes looked away from the group. Alarya crossed her arms as she faced the man.

"I wanted to see Arwen before we left and she insisted that she come along, despite how dangerous it is going to be," Aragorn admitted.

Alarya sighed, giving a tiny laugh in the process. She nodded her head in approval.

"That makes one more. My husband, on the other hand, is another matter. He is still stunned over my return," Alarya replied.

Elrond stepped up to her and she knew what he wanted to hear.

"I know Elrond but we cannot wait for him to decide. I should warn all of you: you will never be accepted by most of my people. Our relations with the peoples of Middle-Earth died long ago when you scorned us. We have not forgotten this. You may come across a few who will not mind that you are not of Shilorian blood. I can only imagine what my children are going through and I only wish I were there to help them," she explained.

The opening of the door caught everyone's attentions. They looked to see Thranduil inching his way into the room. The redness beneath his eyes was obvious but at least the tears had stopped.

"Whatever they are dealing with, we help them together," he told her with a smile.

Alarya was a little surprised but she gave him a warm smile. Turning back to the others, she crossed her arms and looked at each of them. She gave a smile as Sarcoy and Caldhan stepped into the room. Surprised looks appeared as the trio held out their arms and a mist began to fill the room. The quartet watched as the mist grew in size until it engulfed them all.

00000

Shentree gazed across the sky from on top of the building, a foot sitting atop the outer edge of the wall. She watched as her fellow gargoyles danced around the sky. Her mind went back to Alarya and she laughed out loud.

"We will win, elf. We've always had an advantage and now we are going to use it against you. We will take back Shiloria," she smirked.

TBC…


	12. The First Step

Nanaylia followed Chimone down the hallway, wondering what was going through the elder elf's head. She remained silent as she followed Chimone outside. She led the new mother further into the field and towards a group of nearby trees.

"Nanaylia, I really am sorry it has to be like this. It is unfortunate what will occur if we do win this war," Chimone apologized.

"What do you mean?" wondered a confused Nanaylia.

Lowering her head, Chimone couldn't look at her. Lifting her stare back towards Nanaylia, she gave a sigh.

"You may not be able to go back to Middle Earth. When the truth comes out that we are alive and you are one of us, you _will_ be scorned. You and your brother may have to leave everyone you know behind, including Elladan and your father," Chimone reluctantly explained.

Nanaylia was stunned as her eyes widened. The disbelief was clear upon her face as she clung to her daughter.

"Provided we manage to defeat the gargoyles!" protested Nanaylia.

"I realize that but if we do win this battle, they will have killed many of our people. This child is one of the very few in our next generation. We are simply not having children the same as we used to. Having our type of immortality has its drawbacks," Chimone replied.

Nanaylia thought about what was said as her daughter slightly whimpered. Something was nagging at the back of her mind and it was bothering her greatly.

"Chimone, I heard that Shilorians can only die by the hands of their own people. How is it possible that the gargoyles will be able to kill so many, as you have said?" she wondered.

Chimone glanced up towards the sky and gave a small laugh. It appeared as if she were expecting a gargoyle to fly across the sky. She carefully turned her attention back to Nanaylia and gave a grim look.

"It is possible when the gargoyles used to be us," Chimone replied.

Nanaylia was shocked as she almost dropped her baby. Her legs shook as Chimone helped her to sit down beside an oak tree.

"If these trees could talk, they would tell you about atrocities beyond imagination. Long ago, we all lived in harmony but some became consumed by the power. Over time, their outer appearance changed to match the evil residing within them. There was the rare elf, like Manlin, who managed to bypass the transformation somehow," she explained.

Nanaylia sighed, unsure what to think about the news. She gazed up towards the sky, at the sun as a gentle breeze blew past them. It swept away the tears forming in her eyes as Chimone knelt down beside her.

"Nanaylia, if we manage to win this war, I am certain that your mother might be able to negotiate…" Chimone started.

The younger elf gave a laugh as she turned back to towards her mentor. Chimone was slightly worried as she watched Nanaylia.

"I can handle the idea that Shiloria exists as I can handle that Legolas, myself and my daughter are part Shilorian. I can not handle the idea that I could be forever separated from the people I have come to love and to call my family," Nanaylia explained.

She turned towards Chimone, who couldn't find the right words. She gave a sad smile as she watched the new mother and her daughter.

"Listen, I realize that no one can change the past but you should know that we have done everything to keep you and your brother together. Your lengthy stay with the gargoyles was an unfortunate inconvenience. I did not realize what happened until it was too late and I could not do anything to change the circumstances," Chimone explained.

Nanaylia gently nodded her head, not saying a word. Chimone carefully squeezed her shoulder before leaving the area. The baby sat quietly in her arms as she thought about what had already transpired. Leaning her head back against the tree, Nanaylia gave a sigh.

00000

A bright light engulfed the throne room. It disappeared in an instant, leaving seven elves and one man behind. Aragorn and Elrohir stepped forward, gazing over the strange elven architecture.

"So we are now in Shiloria?" Aragorn wanted to confirm.

"Yes, we are. Be privileged Aragorn for you are the first man to gaze upon our land and most likely going to be the last," Sarcoy told him.

Everyone turned in the man's direction as the colour drained from his face. Aragorn glanced towards Elrond. He wondered what was going through the elf's mind.

"So…where do we get started?" wondered Thranduil.

Before Alarya, Sarcoy or Caldhan could answer, the door opened to reveal an elf. He gave a sigh of relief as he walked into the room. He knelt before the queen, only briefly glancing up at her.

"My queen, I bring news regarding the gargoyles. We must inform your children and the guards that they are planning to attack the night after next," he said.

Alarya blanched as she locked eyes with Elrond and her aides. She rushed to the window to see if she could see either of her children in the field below. When she didn't, she hurried back.

"Caldhan, Sarcoy, find Legolas and Nanaylia. They need to know we do not have that much time to finish preparing everything," Alarya ordered them.

The two elves nodded before hurrying out of the room. Alarya turned back to the group and Thranduil stepped near her.

"Alarya…" he started.

"We do not have much time. We have to prepare a battle plan now. I will need all of your help to figure out what we will do with everyone we have to fight," she told him.

As Thranduil began to escort Alarya out of the room, Elrohir turned to his father and gave a small smirk.

"Looks like our chance to see the sights is finished," he mused.

Elrond simply gave a smile as he motioned to Aragorn, Arwen and Elrohir. He began to lead them out of the room and down the hallway. They got a few angry looks from the elves they passed.

"Never mind them. As long as you are with me, no one will say anything. We are headed to see the head of the guard, Jarsay. It is him that we need to go over the plans with," Elrond explained.

They made their way through the halls until the came to a door. Elrond opened it to reveal an elf sitting at a table doing some paperwork. The elf grinned once he saw who it was and stood up.

"Elrond, it is so good to see you again but under such unfortunate circumstances. This is your other son and your daughter?" he wondered.

"Yes, this is Elrohir and Arwen. The man is Aragorn, my foster son," Elrond replied.

Jarsay held out his hand and shook each of theirs. He eyed the three newcomers to Shiloria and knew they were both slightly wondering what to do next.

"I am glad to have finally met you all of you face to face. I have heard much about you and your exploits. Now let us get started," he told them.

Aragorn's eyes had widened slightly, giving Elrond a fleeting look. The man noticed the elf hadn't been too eager to say much since their arrival.

"Jarsay, before we commence, I wish I know where Nanaylia is located," Elrond requested.

"I am unsure. She was headed for the nursery the last I knew but that was sometime ago. She may not still be there. I do not dare send Arwen through the halls by herself. I am certain she will be severely accosted since she has no Shilorian blood within her whatsoever. Nanaylia and Legolas have already dealt with my people's cruelty with dreadful results and they do have our blood," Jarsay replied.

Elrond turned towards Arwen and gave a sigh before he followed Jarsay toward the bookshelf. The Shilorian elf pulled out a few maps and laid them down onto the table. He shuffled through them until he came across one that looked it was the palace.

"We should get started. We have a big place to defend with very few elves to protect it," Jarsay sighed.

00000

Legolas walked up to the wall, gazing out upon the fields. He watched as the sun slowly set in the west. Leaning against the stone, he gave a glimpse over to his sister standing beside him.

"Nanaylia, what is the matter? I have not seen you this upset in a long time," he questioned.

She slightly lowered her head, taking her time in her response. Nanaylia gave her brother a sad stare.

"Legolas, I met up with Chimone. She is a full-fledged Shilorian elf," Nanaylia replied.

Legolas was shocked and it was clearly visible on his face. He stood directly next to his sister, searching for more information.

"She told me that if we win this war, we may not be able to go back to Middle Earth," she told him.

The older brother sighed over this news as he leaned his back against the wall, absolutely speechless. Gazing over the area, he wondered what was going to happen.

"I feel that if we did happen to win, we will not have to same freedom as we once did. I doubt we will be able to transform into our gargoyle forms anymore. My daughter will most likely be trained by elves from here and not by me. Plus we will be scorned by mostly everyone here because our father is from Mirkwood and my daughter's is from Rivendell," Nanaylia told him.

Legolas placed a hand on Nanaylia's shoulder, trying to comfort her from her melancholy. He soon had to give her a hug as the tears began to form in her eyes. A loud crash caught their attention from beyond the wall. Their stare went out to the plains to see several elves storming towards the castle.

"No doubt they are here for us," Legolas sighed.

He took another look before placing an arm behind him, towards his sister. He tried to move her behind him as a gargoyle flew directly for them. This one escaped the mob by flying over the palace walls, leaving his few comrades behind. It hovered directly over the siblings for a few seconds before landing. Legolas couldn't help but smile once he saw who it was.

"Banside, what brings you here?" Legolas mused.

"I am here because I wish to deliver a message. I am giving the two of you one last chance to join us against these pathetic fools," Banside explained.

The two of them crossed their arms, giving him curious looks that evidently said they didn't believe him.

"Listen to me! Not one of them came to you, saying that they wanted your help. Most of them abhor you but we may be able to accept you back into our graces despite everything that you've done! The only catch is that I get to claim her daughter," Banside explained.

Nanaylia growled as she tried to step forward. Legolas stopped her as the anger fumed within him.

"If you even thought that we could even consider that offer, you are out of your mind!" he yelled.

Banside snickered as he dropped to all fours and Legolas growled as he took a stance. Once he took notice that Banside was going to make a move, Legolas lunged towards him. In the blink of an eye, the two connected in a burst of sparks. The two danced back and forth a few times before they fell of the side of the wall.

"Legolas!" screamed Nanaylia.

TBC…


	13. The Final Temptation

I apologize for the delay.

00000

Nanaylia rushed over to the edge only to blanch with what she saw: two pairs of wings hurtling towards the ground. The pair soon separated yet remained close in midair, ready to attack once again.

"Legolas!" she cried out.

The gargoyle barely acknowledged the cry as Banside's laughter began to fill both Lecerne's and Nanaylia's ears.

"You are a fool! They will prosecute you now that they know!" Banside snickered.

"If I can means I can destroy you, then so be it!" Lecerne snarled.

The two carefully flew in a circle around each other before Lecerne lunged forward with a flap of his wings. Nanaylia watched for a few seconds before rushing towards the door only for it to open. It revealed Sarcoy, who appeared frantic with the situation.

"My lady, we have to get you out of here now! The gargoyles may kill you!" he commanded.

He quickly placed a hand on her one shoulder just to be pushed away with her other arm. He watched as she backed away, a growl emitting from deep within her stomach.

"Leave me alone! My brother needs my help and you cannot and will not stop me," she managed to utter.

Stepping back, she stole a quick glance over her shoulder before she ran for the edge. Sarcoy tried to reach for her arm but he missed by a mere couple of inches. He quickly lifted his hands and concentrated just as the female elf ran into a wall of thin air.

"Nanaylia, do not do this!" he cried.

She snarled as she faced the older elf. Stomping towards him, a snarl reached her throat and her wings sprung from her back. Sarcoy quickly inhaled as he watched as she continued to stretch her transforming arms for him but he swiftly reached for her arm and managed to grab it.

"Do you realize what you and your brother have done by doing this?" he demanded.

"Yes, I do. Your people will have found out that we have been corrupted by the gargoyles. That, my dear friend is how _we_ are going to leave this place," she angrily replied.

Sarcoy's face drained of blood as he heard those words. He released his grip and watch as she ran towards the edge of the wall and dove off. He rushed to the side and observed as the now fully transformed Nanaylia rushed towards the oncoming gargoyles.

His stare went towards Lecerne, who was still in a wrestling match with Banside. Lecerne growled as he punched the gargoyles in the face. Banside recoiled slightly, feeling the few drops of blood run down his nose.

"You will never win this war, _Lecerne_. I have much more experience in combat and better control of the magic I possess. You have nothing!" Banside yelled at him.

"Bring it on! I can take anything you can throw at me!" Lecerne growled.

He stole a quick glance towards his sister, who was quickly facing a small army of gargoyles by herself. With Lecerne's attention diverted, Banside took this chance and lunged for his nemesis, tackling him to the ground.

"Can you take this?" snarled the gargoyle.

Lecerne growled in reply, never noticing the Shilorian guards pour out of the castle. Jarsay was among the first to notice the duo amidst the mass of figures in the area. His heart sunk into his stomach. As much as he had known about the queen's children, he still shocked him to see what had transpired in Middle Earth.

He rushed over to the side of the gargoyles, hoping to somehow intervene. Banside took a quick glance and noticed Jarsay standing beside them. He jumped off Lecerne and lunged for the head guard. Jarsay barely managed to dodge the gargoyle, who.

"Jarsay, stay out of this!" snarled Lecerne.

"I am truly sorry about this but I cannot. My duty is to protect you and your sister first!" Jarsay sternly replied.

Lecerne's slightly flinched once he heard those words. His tail carefully flicked about behind him, giving a hint to the strong, angry feelings that settled deep within him. Banside couldn't help but laugh as he gave a quick glance between the two.

"Are you certain that you want to protect someone like _him_? He's become one of us whether you like it or not and I know how much you and your people despise the likes of us!" Banside laughed.

"That may be true but I know the transformation was against their will!" Jarsay retorted.

A dagger appeared in the elf's hand and he lunged for the gargoyle. Banside quickly saw what he was doing and raised his hands. A shower of sparks filled the air, surprising Lecerne. The gargoyle watched the scene for a few seconds before glancing towards his sister, who was surrounded by three gargoyles.

"I am coming!" he cried out.

Lecerne hurried towards Narcissis, who was managing to keep the trio at bay. He jumped over their heads and behind his sister, the growling never leaving his throat.

"Give up, elves, you cannot possibly win this," one hissed at them.

"We shall see," Lecerne replied.

The two crouched slightly before a fiery shield of sparks appeared. No one noticed a certain queen stepping out into the courtyard. Her face drained of colour as Thranduil stepped out behind her. They surveyed the scene and both groaned as they gazed upon their children.

"I shall be dethroned. Very few will want a queen with children who have been corrupted by the gargoyles," she sighed.

"We shall deal with that later. Now, we should somehow deal with the intruders," Thranduil mused.

Alarya gave a weak smile before nodding. The female elf hesitated and Thranduil immediately noticed. He glanced at her, wondering what going through her mind.

"Thranduil, turn around and close your eyes tight," she softly said.

A bit puzzled, he nodded and obliged with her request. Alarya didn't even notice that she had a quartet of onlookers from a window nearby as she began to concentrate. A soft glow appeared in her hands and it quickly grew larger. Elrond immediately realized what she was doing and motioned to his children and Aragorn.

"Get back if you value your eyesight!" he yelled them.

They stepped back as an enormously bright light filled the room. After it left, the four wondered what happened. They stared out the window to find the gargoyles slowly limping away from the palace. Some distance away, Banside turned and growled.

"Curse you Alarya! You may have won this battle but the next time, you will not be so lucky!" he yelled at her.

Returning his pace, he slowly joined his comrades back home. The guards cheered at the victory, as Jarsay stepped up to Narcissis and Lecerne, who were slowly climbing to their feet.

"What happened? I am unsure what hit me," Lecerne groaned.

"I have no idea. I just know that I cannot see," replied Narcissis.

Before Jarsay could open his mouth to explain, several guards rushed over to them and roughly jerked the gargoyles to their feet.

"Neither of you are going anywhere, gargoyles. We shall have fun with the likes of you. It is a good thing you managed to catch these two Jarsay," one of the guards snorted.

Within the blink of an eye, both Narcissis and Lecerne were escorted away from the scene. Jarsay knew he wouldn't be able to stop all of his guards as he watched them leave.

00000

Thranduil crouched down beside Alarya, the worry plainly written all over his face. She placed a calming hand on his arm and gently squeezed.

"I will be fine but we have to get to the throne room. By now, our children will have been apprehended. They will be brought to me for questioning and then public prosecution," Alarya explained.

Thranduil was taken aback with the comment as he helped his wife to her feet and began to make their way inside. Along the way, Alarya gave a sigh, thinking about everything that happened between them.

"I cannot believe it is going to end this way: our children's secret has been found out by my people and I will be thrown out of power. My people balk at the only help that can be found and will be overtaken by the gargoyles and there is nothing I can do to avoid it," she muttered.

Thranduil couldn't say anything as they stepped into the hall. There was already a massive group gathered and their jeering filled the room. The snarling of the gargoyles could be heard over the heckling as two began to make their way through the elves to the middle of the room.

As Alarya and Thranduil approached the two angry gargoyles, the elves slowly became aware of their queen's presence. Jarsay, Caldhan and Sarcoy were all close by, carefully watching in case anything happened and no one noticed a quartet slip in the back. The queen gave her children a gaze from head to toe.

"Well, if it isn't dear Queen Alarya," smirked Lecerne.

She couldn't reply, unsure what she wanted to say or how. Alkor slunk in behind her and smirked.

"What are you waiting for? We should get rid of them before they do us any more harm," he whispered in her ear. "Their race has never been any good."

Alarya shot him an angry look. Narcissis's ears perked up as she listened to the elf's words. The two gargoyles quickly caught each other's stare, deciding to remain silent, at least for the time being.

"Get rid of them! Kill them!" came shouts from the crowd.

Alarya could barely restrain herself as the room slowly became out of control again. Alkor moved forward, a grin crossing his face.

"They are not like us, therefore they should not be here," he said.

Lecerne grew scared as he glanced at his sister. She balled up her hands as her eyes flared with pure anger. He reached for her but she managed to elude his grasp.

"Narcissis, wait!" he cried.

Not listening, she leapt up in the air and landed on the ground next to Alkor. Amidst the cries of the other elves, she reached up and grasped the young elf by the throat. She lifted him up and rushed towards the wall, slamming him against it. Lecerne stood next to her, hoping to prevent from doing something she'd regret.

"Listen well Alkor! Everybody listen! _This_ is not our fault!" she yelled, lifting up her other arm. "_This_ is the fruits of _your_ people! Not mine!"

It caused murmuring among the crowd as Alarya and Thranduil carefully moved toward them. Lecerne slowly shook his head, realizing what she was doing.

"W-what? Impossible! How do I know you are telling the truth?" he wondered.

"It was your father who initiated this plan a long time ago and it came to fruition with some help…from the same gargoyles that your queen chased away just moments ago! If you cannot believe me, then why not ask the others who were there?" she snorted.

Alkor didn't reply, instead looking over her shoulder at Lecerne, who facially remained calm but the slow movement of his tail revealed otherwise.

"I will never believe that my father was in league with the gargoyles or that you were unwillingly coerced into what your have become!" Alkor retorted.

Narcissis growled before squeezing even further. Alarya immediately took notice and stepped forward to take action. Thranduil moved back, knowing better than to step in now, even though they were his children.

"Nanaylia! Put him down this instance!" she ordered.

The gargoyle twirled her head around and stared her mother down. Jaws within the crowd dropped at the name. Narcissis allowed Alkor to plummet into a heap before storming over to the elder elf. Lecerne followed her, still the ever protective brother.

"Give me one good reason why we should not leave right now. All we have ever gotten since we arrived has been ridicule because Ada is an elf from Middle Earth. Now, your people know that the two of us can change into gargoyles and that is something else that despise! Alkor has been the worst and he is the son of the elf who caused the most grief for this family!" Narcissis snarled.

Alarya was fuming at the reaction of her only daughter. She took a moment to think about her answer before giving a deep breath.

"You have to understand that my people are in dire need. I cannot turn my back on them and I cannot allow you to kill one of them simply because you are upset with them," she reprimanded.

"Upset, Mother? Furious is more like it! Do you have any idea what we have gone through? I believed Narcissis was dead for over a millennium!" Lecerne interjected.

Narcissis thought about the statement and gave a snicker before stepping towards the crowd.

"Then maybe your loyalty towards your people has blinded you a little. Where were you when we needed you the most? When you left Mirkwood, you left it wide open for Manlin to do what he wanted. Now, both Lecerne and I have nothing to look forward to except prosecution from the very same elves you left us for," Narcissis mused before turning to Lecerne. "Brother, I am getting my daughter. If you wish to join me, then we shall go."

Lecerne nodded before the two slowly made their way through the parting crowd. As they reached the door, they came upon Elrond, Aragorn, Arwen and Elrohir, who all appeared shocked by the turn of events. The twin couldn't help but stare at his friend, a dejected stare within his eyes. Lecerne gave a sigh as he eyed Elrohir.

"Looks like you got your wish, Elrohir. I only wish it were under better circumstances," Lecerne muttered.

TBC…


	14. Visionary

It took forever it is finally here! Have fun!

00000

The two gargoyles carefully made their way down the hallway, leaping over and around startled elves, towards the nursery.

Lecerne arrived at the door seconds before his sister and they both gave a deep sigh.

"Here goes nothing," she said.

The elder sibling lifted his leg and shoved in the door, revealing a scrambling of nurses. Chimone paled once she saw who it was and she rushed up to them.

"What is going on here?" she demanded.

"What does it look like, Chimone? I am here for my child, and then we are leaving this place! Now get out of my way!" Narcissis snarled.

The gargoyle brushed past the elder elf and towards her daughter. The other elves attempted to stop her but were stopped by a growling Lecerne. Narcissis picked up her daughter and they quickly left the room, leaving behind a very distraught Chimone. The elf sank to her knees, the tears falling down her face.

"By the Valar, what have we done?" she wailed. "What have we done?"

00000

The two rushed down the hallway, the guards beginning to make an appearance.

"If we don't get out of here soon, we'll be surrounded," Narcissis stated.

Lecerne didn't say anything as they made their way into an intersection of hallways. They immediately found themselves surrounded on all sides.

"We're trapped!" growled Lecerne.

His eyes darted around the area before taking notice of a nearby glass window. He lunged for it, shattering it completely and instantly took to flight. Narcissis swiftly followed, fully knowing they had several observers, including their parents. Thranduil gazed over to his wife and gave a sigh.

"Do not take what they say seriously. They are evidently upset," he told her.

"But they are right. I deserted them when they needed me the most for a people I knew would never accept them. I cannot blame them for being upset," she replied.

She turned around only to come face to face with an equally upset Elrond.

"What was that all about?" he demanded.

Her eyes narrowed slightly in confusion before realizing what he was talking about. Her stare lowered to the ground.

"Your successors have deserted you. Now you have only one heir to your throne and that is through the brother who betrayed you and even tried to take your life once if I remember correctly. Believe me when I say that I am not pleased with you," he said before facing the crowd. "Or any of you!"

He walked towards them and they began to back away.

"After all that I have done for you, you still reject the help of _my_ people. I know for a fact that those two adored you, despite not knowing they had your blood. They were even willing to help you but you scorned them! You are going to lose this war and you have no one to blame but yourselves," Elrond yelled at them.

Alkor stepped forward, his arms crossed and fuming.

"It is not your problem to deal with," he snarled.

"It is my problem when two young elves that I consider part of my own family are ridiculed for something that is not of their doing. What you, as Shilorians, have to understand is that this is a different age. Many faces have come and gone in the years since you were ridiculed. Now, the elves are leaving Middle Earth, leaving man to takes their place. If they ever found you, they may let you be, or they may prove they have not changed and try to find a reason to declare war. Who knows? They could even look to you for the knowledge that only you possess. My question to everyone is: what are you going to do about it?" Elrond posed.

He motioned towards his children and Aragorn to follow. They were reluctant at first but slowly began to make their way out of the room. Thranduil remained behind with Alarya, who slumped into her throne.

"I cannot believe this is happening! We are done! The gargoyles will overtake this land and everyone in this court will be reduced to slaves," she wept.

"Alarya, you know that may not happen," Thranduil tried to assure her.

She bolted to her feet, a livid glare in her eyes as she stared at her husband.

"Look around you Thranduil! Our children and Elrond have deserted us; my guards are ill-equipped to defend this palace; and my people are willing to do nothing about it. _It will happen_," Alarya fumed.

Her anger soon turned to sadness as the tears began to form in her eyes. She turned back towards the window and in the direction that her children disappeared into.

'_Be well for I worry about you,'_ she thought.

00000

Narcissis' head began to droop somewhat and Lecerne quickly noticed. Taking a look around the area, he soon spotted a cave hidden within the trees. He motioned to his sister, who nodded and they dove to the ground. They landed and Narcissis carefully made her way inside.

"I feel we will be safe here until morning. Chances are they won't follow us. Then we can leave Shiloria for good. Where we will go, we shall have to see," Lecerne stated. "Get some sleep, Narcissis. I will keep watch for a while before joining you."

Narcissis, too tired to argue anything, complied. Laying down, she wrapped her wings around her child and closed her eyes. Her brother eyed each and every star he could see as he stood at the mouth. The day's events swirled through his head, wondering if there was anything different he could have done.

"I wish things were the ways they used to be," he sighed.

A soft breeze began to whistle through the trees, making the air a bit chilly. Lecerne shivered slightly as he continued to watch.

00000

The night wore on and Narcissis found she couldn't sleep. She opened her eyes to find her daughter was whimpering.

"You're hungry. Come on, let's go," she whispered.

As the baby latched onto her chest, the mother's ears perked up in interest. Glancing around, she saw Lecerne sleeping close by. Nothing appeared to be moving outside yet she could swear she heard her name.

"I must be hearing things," she muttered.

_Nanaylia_.

She knew then that someone had found them and shook her brother's shoulder. Lecerne groggily awoke to find an anxious Narcissis.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

"Someone discovered us," she softly spoke.

His mind was immediately jerked awake and he climbed to his feet. Standing in front of his sister and niece, he was prepared for anyone. What he didn't expect to see was a shimmer of light appear before them. It slowly took form and it was an unexpected one.

"Elladan, is that you?" the two gasped.

The figure nodded, a huge smile on his face. He drew closer and knelt down beside Narcissis. He tried to place a hand on the baby but it simply went through her. With a sad look, he stared at his arm for a moment before remembering why he was there.

"Narcissis, Lecerne, you are in terrible danger," he warned them.

"From who, exactly? We know the gargoyles are planning to attack Shiloria and if they manage to survive, they'll come searching for us," Narcissis questioned.

Elladan was unsure how to tell them what he knew.

"Listen to me; the gargoyles are planning to attack tomorrow night. They are going to kill every Shilorian and any connection to them. That means the three of you, myself…even your father. Maybe even the rest of my family," he told them.

The two siblings glanced at each other, doubting look on their faces. They returned their stare to the twin.

"How do we even know that it is you 'standing' here? You could be someone from Shiloria trying to convince us to go back and help them," posed Lecerne.

Elladan couldn't help but laugh as he faced the ground. He held out a hand towards them and knelt to one knee.

"The gargoyles plan to capture the queen of Shiloria along with her entire family and there is only one way for them to know they have the right elves. I overheard them talking about a very distinctive mark, found _only_ on the royal family. Very few elves know this exists, let alone seen it yet the gargoyles know about it. I believe I may have seen it on both of you…on your lower back. They will not stop hunting you. Please…help me," Elladan explained.

Both of them noticed that he started to stutter at the end. Neither had a chance to reply to his inquiry before he disappeared entirely.

00000

Narcissis woke up with a start. She frantically glanced around the cave, searching for her husband. Her heart dropped when he was nowhere to be found.

"It was all a dream," she muttered.

Then something caught her attention by the mouth of the cave and her stare slowly rose to find a wolf calmly sitting there. A soft glow engulfed it as it transformed into an elf.

"I see you have finally arrived. I have been waiting for you," he told them.

Struck with panic, Narcissis roughly jerked her brother awake. Lecerne was a little slow to arouse but once he saw the newcomer, he found himself alert. He stepped in front of his sister and took a defensive stance.

"You have no worry from me. I have been watching you for quite some time. The two of you are Legolas and Nanaylia, the children of Thranduil, king of the former Mirkwood and Alarya, queen of this beautiful land of Shiloria. My name is Malak and I was the one who helped Elladan contact you. Unfortunately, he is growing ever weaker," he replied.

"What do you want with us?" questioned Lecerne.

Malak drew closer, fully knowing the older sibling was carefully watching him. As he stopped, he lifted a hand and a fire materialized before them. He sat down beside it and motioned for the siblings to do the same. They were reluctant but soon sat close to the heat.

"What I want you to do is reconsider helping your mother and the others," he told them.

Both were in total disbelief as they stared at the elf. He prodded the fire with a stick, which made it burn higher.

"I have something very few Shilorians were born with. I have the gift of prophecy. I see events that haven't occurred yet in moderate detail. I have seen the coming battle and I know its conclusions," he told them.

They waited for him to continue. Malak sighed as he slowly switched his stare between them for the longest time.

"All I see is death. I have seen both outcomes and they both end this way. Someone is going to die. How many exactly, remains to be seen," he managed to tell them.

"But we cannot possibly go back to help! They do not want us there!" protested Narcissis.

Malak couldn't help but smile at the remark. His stare went to the ceiling, as if he were thinking about old times.

"Shilorians have always been stubborn about the past. Never forgetting, never yielding. They do not like to admit they made a mistake. This is their biggest one so far and they have yet to realize it. They kept their belief that that the hatred was passed to each succeeding generation when it in fact was completely lost all together. With your arrival, along with Elrond's, the word is getting out that they have to make a choice. They will fight but will lose. Both your parents will die and so will Elrond and his entire family," he explained to them.

The siblings glanced at each other, feeling terribly hopeless with the situation. Malak climbed to his feet and began to walk away from them. He stopped several feet away and placed a hand on the cave wall.

"There is one thing that can possibly save this land but it has only been attempted once before and that was millennia ago," he told them.

"What is it? If it could possibly help…" started Lecerne.

"There is no guarantee it will work for it can only be conjured by a select few and the two of you have Middle Earth blood within you. Even I cannot you who can pull such a feat. But let me ask you: do you want to be with your family again?" he asked.

"Well, of course we do," Narcissis protested.

He stole a look at them before he walked back to Narcissis and held out a book in her direction.

"Take this. I…acquired it when you were transported here. I have a few pages marked and if you do return to the palace, they might help," Malak said.

Neither could believe what they were looking at: an older book sat in her hands, along with an equally old necklace. Malak created a strap with a bag and hung it over Narcissis' neck, allowing her to place her baby within its confines.

"I know it may be difficult to accept but you must help Shiloria. I cannot reveal much but you two are pivotal to this war and just may be the deciding factor. Now please go back to them before it is too late. Find Chimone before sunrise for I know she will help you," he told them.

Lecerne slowly climbed to his feet before helping his sister to her. They watch him as they made their way out of the cave, into the wilderness. Malak observed the beginning of their trek, making his own way to the mouth of the cave and realizing what he had ended.

"By the Valar, what have I done? I have sent them to their deaths!" he finally asked himself.

TBC…


	15. Drums of War

"What are we getting ourselves into?" muttered Lecerne. "I do not know how but he had a trusting sense about him."

Narcissis wasn't paying attention as she made her way through the bookmarked pages. With each passing word, she grew paler.

"Lecerne, this is no ordinary book. I was not paying too much attention in the cave but this is one of Manlin's old books," she gasped.

The elder sibling stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. He stared at the book and saw that it indeed was one of the books from their old foe. He quickly grasped it out of her hands and skimmed through it.

"Didn't you leave most of these books back…home?" Lecerne questioned.

She frantically nodded as she retrieved the book back and turned it to one of the marked pages.

"I only took a few books with me to Minas Tirith. I know this was not one of them. The magic seemed too advanced for me," she replied.

"Maybe Malak indeed knows more than what he is letting on. If we can help by using this magic, perhaps we prevent the deaths that he warned us about. Maybe he knows what he's talking about," Narcissis mused.

Lecerne wanted to protest but the fact that this particular book had shown up had him thinking what the future held. Neither said a word as they made their way back to the palace.

00000

Chimone stared at the ground as she walked around the palace courtyard. She found she couldn't sleep one bit for she was extremely distraught about the evening's events. Her eyes were red and swollen from all the crying.

"What are we going to do now?" she moaned.

She continued to walk down the path, the odd guard passing by her. The palace courtyard, she found, was even deader than normal. She figured that they still weren't expecting the attacks just yet.

"Dear Legolas and Nanaylia, what kind of creatures are you encountering in our forests right now?" she asked out loud.

A dark shadow passed overhead and the air beneath wings broke Chimone out of her reverie. She looked up and saw two figures flying overhead, heading towards a nearby building. Her heart leapt up in excitement for she saw the colour and she quickly followed them. As they landed, Chimone rushed around the corner.

"Chimone?" they wondered in unison.

"You came back. What changed your minds?" she asked.

The siblings immediately noticed that she was out of breath. They were a bit unsure how to tell her about their encounter. It was Narcissis who stepped forward.

"We met an elf out in the wilderness. He knows things and he told us that we were pivotal to the coming battle otherwise everyone we know will die," she explained.

"We have all been saying that since your arrival. What makes this time any different?" she wondered.

Narcissis glanced down before handing her the book. Chimone took it and stared at it with wide eyes. She skimmed through the pages and blanched, knowing exactly what it was.

"How did you get this book get back into Shiloria? It was one of the ones banned from here a long time before the two of you were born," she demanded.

"The elf said he got it for us when we arrived in Shiloria. He did not say how," Lecerne replied.

Chimone frantically searched from side to side before glancing upwards. She motioned for them to follow and she hurriedly led them to the wall.

"The room you were in when you arrived is always vacant. Make your way up the wall and I will meet you there," she ordered them.

They nodded before they began making their way up the sheer wall. A few minutes later, they made their way to the window. The duo waited for a couple more minutes before Chimone opened up the window and they crawled inside. Narcissis quickly put her baby into the crib now sitting by the bed and she turned towards the older elf.

"I wish for the two of you to stay here until further notice. If anyone else finds out that book is here again, I can assure you that you will be dead. The magic in that book is _extremely _dangerous and should really only be performed by someone who is in full control of their powers, which neither of you are," Chimone explained. "I shall have to explain to the queen of your return in the morning and we will have to go from there."

The siblings nodded as they watched her leave. As she walked out the door, Narcissis turned to her brother, a questioning look on her face.

"Well…what do we do now?" she asked.

00000

Alarya rushed down the hallway, in total disbelief with the news she just heard from Chimone. She slammed open the door to reveal her children. Nanaylia was sitting within the covers of the bed with Legolas resting on the edge.

"So it is true, you have returned. But why?" demanded the queen.

"Apparently, we still have a role to play in this war of yours. If we do not, many elves will die," Legolas told her.

"And who exactly told you this?" she wondered, the confusion written all over her face.

"An elf we came across while we were fleeing into the wilderness," Nanaylia piped up.

Alarya was pleased to see her children again but was not exactly thrilled to find they were keeping secrets from her. It took her a few moments to realize how uncomfortable her daughter was sitting. She hurried over to the side of the bed and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Nanaylia, you have been pushing yourself too hard. Take it easy. I had forgotten how difficult your childbirth had been. I should know for I nearly died when I had the two of you," she cooed.

That little piece of information perked up their ears and she realized she hadn't told them yet. The queen blushed away as she squeezed their hands.

"Shilorians have always had difficultly bearing young, particularly those of royal blood. That is how Elrond discovered my secret. I shall tell the troops to prepare for tonight but I have to ask you to tell me who you were talking to," she requested.

The two glanced at each other, wondering if they should tell their mother about who they met. It was then that Alarya took notice of the necklace sitting around Nanaylia's neck and she paled at the sight.

"Did this same elf give you _that_?" she demanded, pointing at it.

The two stole a look and they nodded, slightly confused.

"Whoever it is, he knows a lot than what he let on. This necklace has been lost even before _I_ was born. I only heard about it from my mother. She had shown me many pictures of it and it apparently can be used in powerful ways, with the correct spell. Legolas, I wish for you to be prepared for this evening," Alarya replied.

She stood up and made her way out the door, leaving behind two slightly confused children. They were thinking the exact same thing.

Who was Malak?

00000

The sun slowly began to set upon the lands of Shiloria. Shentree gazed over the plains leading up to the palace. Behind her, stood Banside and Sathed and they held up a seriously injured Elladan.

"This will be the night. We will see them dying in the dust after this is all over," she smirked.

The elf couldn't say anything. His whole body ached, as did his heart to see his wife again. His eyes glassily gazed over the fair lands, knowing it would most likely be the only time he'd ever see them.

"Let's go!" Shentree shouted to the others.

She began to march forward. The almost two hundred remaining gargoyles quickly followed her, prepared to completely sack the kingdom.

00000

Alarya stood within her throne room, watching Jarsay and his troops watch every possible direction for the gargoyles' arrival.

"This will be the day and they have a prisoner," she sighed.

Her stare went skyward to a neighbouring tower. There, she could see the form of a gargoyle standing atop the roof, unseen by everyone but her. Alarya sank to her knees, as sobs began to wrack her body.

"Be prepared, my dear son for I fear this will be our final moments together," she wept.

She was glad that she was behind closed doors for she would be mortified if anyone seen her like this.

00000

Lecerne watched the landscape with the elven guards, preparing for arrival of their enemy. Inwardly, he was terrified out of his mind. He gulped as he contemplated as many outcomes as he possibly could, including his own death.

'_Come on Shentree, let's get this over with,'_ he thought.

Soon, he narrowed his eyes as he took notice of movement in the distance. Lecerne took a deep breath as they gargoyles became ever closer. He sighed as the guards held up their hands and they braced themselves. A few made their way into the field, ready for those who would land. At the front of the pack, a battered Elladan was dragged between two familiar faces. Shentree soon held up a hand and the others stopped.

"Banside, Sathed, come with me. Yancha, you and the others, wait here," she told them.

Yancha nodded as she held out her arms to keep them back. Shentree carefully moved closer to the palace, a huge grin on her face. Jarsay took notice of this action and followed suit, meeting in the middle of the field.

"This is it, Jarsay. It ends tonight. Tell your precious queen her son-in-law is here and we will gladly exchange his life for hers," Shentree offered.

"She cannot be asked to make such a decision so quickly!" Jarsay replied.

Shentree couldn't help but laugh, fully expecting that to be the answer. She motioned towards her comrades to kill Elladan when the breaking of the air filled their ears. They were caught off guard when Banside was knocked to the ground. The figure turned around and struck Sathed down as well, allowing Elladan to drop to the ground. The elf struggled to push himself up as Lecerne gently placed a hand on his back.

"Elladan, don't move. How are you doing?" he whispered.

Elladan glanced up at his friend with a weak smile. The elf was overjoyed to see his friend again.

"I…could be…better," the reply soon came.

Lecerne growled as his star went to Shentree, who found herself sandwiched in between him and Jarsay.

"I should have known you would do something like this," Shentree snarled.

She leapt up into the air and glared down at them. Lecerne quickly reacted by swiftly, yet carefully, scooping up Elladan and running towards the palace. He took flight and made his way over the startled stares of the elven guards. He could care less if they saw him: they would've found out soon enough that he was there and on their side.

"Attack!" Jarsay and Shentree both yelled at their respective troops.

And then there was chaos.

TBC…


	16. Trials and Tribulations

Nanaylia silently sat in the bed but her mind was whirring with the different scenarios that were now going on. Her question was soon answered with a shower of sparks outside her window. She rushed over to see what was going on only to find a clash unlike anything she had ever seen.

"By the Valar," she whispered.

A mass of gargoyles and elves surrounded the palace, the remnants of their attacks fizzling into the air. Amongst the crowd, she took notice of a few familiar faces from her stay with them. She growled.

"You will pay for what you have done to us," she managed to utter.

She was so engrossed with the battle that she never took notice of what was going on behind her…

00000

Lecerne burst through the doors of the palace, surprising elves left and right. A few advanced towards him, ready to attack if necessary. Lecerne snarled at them, hoping they would back off enough to allow him passage through.

"Back away! Step away from him immediately!" a voice commanded from behind the crowd.

The elves parted, revealing Caldhan and Sarcoy. They swiftly motioned for him to follow and he readily complied. They began ushering him down the hallway and he was wondering where he was being taken.

"Do not worry Legolas for you will not be harmed while we still live. Someone simply wants to see the two of you," Sarcoy told him.

The two led him to a door and it opened to reveal a familiar face. Elrond blanched once he saw the condition his son was in.

"Elrond," breathed Lecerne.

"It is good to see you returned but it is my son needs my attention now," Elrond replied.

The gargoyle placed his friend on the bed, watching as Elrond placed his son's face in his hands and spoke softly to him. By then, Lecerne noticed that both Caldhan and Sarcoy had left and he decided he should do the same. On his way out, he heard a sound that made his heart jump.

"A…ada?"

00000

Shentree pounded the attacks onto Jarsay, who was trying not to back up. He quickly found he was failing miserably.

"Let it go Jarsay! You know you will never defeat us!" she cried at him.

"I can certainly try! My queen is depending on me to protect this land!" he retorted.

Shentree smirked as she lunged for him. He barely managed to dodge out of the way, a split second before she turned on her heels and stared him down.

"You and the others believe you can do everything. That has been your downfall," Shentree barked at him.

"We managed to defeat the spell that Sauron placed within Legolas' mind and I do believe that we managed to chase you away from Legolas and Nanaylia a few times before," Jarsay replied.

Shentree smirked as she stood completely straight up and advanced towards him. She lifted her arms directly to her sides.

"Yet you will be unable to save your precious queen and her dear daughter for as we speak, they're being killed," the gargoyle laughed.

The head guard's jaw dropped. He couldn't, and wouldn't, believe what he was hearing. Jarsay snorted, carefully clenching and unclenching his fist.

"I will never believe you," he told her through gritted teeth.

"Believe what you will but two of my comrades have easily made their way into the throne room," Shentree laughed.

Jarsay paled as he swiftly glanced up towards the throne room, praying for a miracle.

00000

Alarya watched the battle unfold below her. She lowered her head, seeing that the gargoyles were meticulously defeating her guards. A pale gargoyle flew around in the distance, helping in anyway he could.

"Please do not get yourself killed, my son," she whispered.

She watched as he hovered above a duel. The gargoyle pushed the elf towards the edge of the wall and soon shoved him over the side. Lecerne soared after the elf and managed to catch him, thrusting his claws into the palace wall.

The elf wondered what happened and looked up to see the gargoyle. Lecerne gave a smile once he saw who it was.

"My prince," he breathed.

"As you can see, we are not like the gargoyles," Lecerne told him.

Alarya smiled as her son lowered the elf guard to the ground and the two began fighting side by side.

"Alarya!" a voice suddenly shook the glass.

The queen turned to find Banside and Yancha entering the room with a writhing Nanaylia. The two threw her to Alarya's feet and her motherly instinct began to kick in again.

"My daughter, what have they done to you? Where is your daughter?" she quietly asked.

Nanaylia didn't have to answer for the furious look on her face said it all. She climbed to her feet and they faced the gargoyles together.

"Nothing that defeating the gargoyles will not fix. Do not worry about my daughter. She is with Chimone," Nanaylia finally answered.

"Dear Nanaylia. You will not win this. Your brother will be dead by the end of this and your mother will be a slave. As for you, you will be by my side," Banside smiled.

Nanaylia growled, threatening to attack the two when a hand on her shoulder stopped all further advances. Curiously, Nanaylia glanced back at her mother.

"Nanaylia, whatever happens, I have always been proud of you and your brother. I may not have always been there like I should have but I tried to keep you safe as I possibly could. I am glad that you were rescued and we could save your brother before he ended up fighting in Sauron's name forever," she whispered

Nanaylia blanched, immediately knowing what she was talking about. Angrily, the younger elf stepped forward, the wings popping out of her back and the claws out of her hands.

"You want a fight Banside? You have it!" Nanaylia roared.

As she completely made the transformation, Alarya was completely entranced for she had yet to see it in person. Narcissis advanced towards the two, feeling a surge of power she had never felt before. She moved more swiftly than either of them expected. She quickly knocked Yancha to the floor and pinned Banside against the wall.

"You know that anything you do will never be appreciated by _them._ Shilorians never really could accept variation amongst their people. Look at us, for example. We knew we could do more with our power and were outcast for it. You are only half-Shilorian and they despise you for that," Banside told her.

"That may be so Banside, but I realize now that I owe a lot to them, more than what I ever knew. They may hate me for who I am but they helped Legolas and I become the elves we are today," she retorted.

Neither noticed the necklace still sitting around Narcissis' neck as it gave off a tiny sparkle. Narcissis flung Banside across the room and he stopped once he hit the wall. She stepped over to the unconscious gargoyle, more infuriated than what she ever felt before. She turned to her mother and gave a small smile. Alarya could immediately tell that whatever her daughter was thinking, she wasn't going to like it.

"Mother, this ends tonight," she simply told her.

Alarya was slightly confused as she watched her beloved daughter run out of the room. The words kept running through her head.

"Dear daughter, what exactly are you talking about?" she asked out loud.

00000

The battle continued to rage on as Narcissis stepped outside, hoping to find her brother. She figured he wouldn't be too hard to find. A couple of elves and gargoyles soon took notice of her but paid no more attention.

'_Good, they're too occupied to deal with me,'_ she thought.

In the distance, she saw her brother dealing with Shentree and began to head in his direction. Neither saw her coming as Shentree began to snicker.

"You know Lecerne, Manlin never did like the two of you like he should have. I mean, with his relationship with you and your sister and all," Shentree mused.

"What are you talking about? He was an advisor to my father, no more," Lecerne questioned.

Shentree couldn't help but laugh at the statement before they started to circle each other. Her tail whipped around her like a bullet as she stared down at Lecerne.

"She never told you, did she? I can see why though but you should know that Manlin was your uncle," Shentree laughed.

Lecerne's eyes widened before a snarl escaped his lips. He lunged for her and pinned her to the ground.

"You lie!" he retorted

"Why would I mislead you? You are nothing to me! You cannot possibly deal with me by yourself!" snorted the female gargoyle.

Her mood quickly changed as a shadow appeared over them. They glanced up to see Narcissis standing over them, arms crossing and appearing quite upset.

"What about the two of us?" she questioned.

She leapt towards their nemesis and the two wrestled around a bit. Shentree kept snarling at her, claws bared and in no way keeping still.

"You will never win," she yelled.

Without a reply, Narcissis lunged toward her and Shentree barely managed to get out of the way, forgetting in the meantime that Lecerne was still nearby. He grabbed her into a headlock and she thrashed her legs about.

"Let me go!" she cried.

His sister tried to grasp the flailing legs, but not without getting a foot to her wing. She cringed as she managed to grab one of them, allowing her enough room to punch her in the face. Shentree's head snapped to the side, a huge smile still on her face.

"That was for Elladan," snarled Narcissis.

"If you wish but he is dead, as are you," Shentree retorted.

Lecerne motioned to her. Knowing what he wanted, they made their way to the wall and threw her off the side. They watched as she dropped part of the way to the ground, when she managed to get her wings out and glided the rest of the way down.

"You will pay for this!" she yelled back up at them.

They quickly ignored her as she turned to her brother.

"Lecerne…Legolas, do you remember going over that one spell this afternoon?" Narcissis wondered.

"Yes, but…," he started before realizing what she was trying to imply. "But Nanaylia, we have no idea what effect that will have on anybody."

"Malak, whoever he is, seemed to have faith in _us_. Maybe we are the ones who are the exception to the rule," she replied before motioning to the fighting. "Besides, if you want _this_ to end, what other choice do we have?"

Lecerne remained silent for a moment before nodding in agreement. The two flew into the sky and clasped their arms together. The duo closed their eyes and began to chant, a brilliant light beginning to emanate from them. Alarya watched them, all colour draining from her face as Thranduil ran into the room.

"Alarya, I got back here as soon as I could…" he began as he stepped closer. "What is going on?"

The queen slowly turned her head in his direction, the tears streaming down her face before she took her husband into a strong embrace. The sobs wracked her entire being and began to transfer a bit to Thranduil, slowly realizing what was happening before she confirmed her fears

"We are losing them."

The glow soon filled the windows and engulfed the king and queen until they knew nothing else but. Thranduil took a deep breath, feeling warm inside but he wasn't certain why until he heard his son's voice.

'_Ada, we are here. Do not fear anything for we are fine,'_ Legolas told him.

The king's eyes snapped open and realized that he could see the royal chamber and it was now quiet outside. He rushed to look out the window, as did Alarya to see the courtyard littered with limp gargoyle bodies. The elven guards prepared themselves, waiting for any of them to jump up and attack but none rose. A few appeared to have survived but it wasn't many.

"What has happened? That spell…" started Alarya.

She realized what had fully transpired and she glanced up towards their children. Her mind raced when she saw they were no longer hovering in the sky. She frantically looked down around the courtyard until she found their motionless bodies near the middle of the whole mess. When a figure limped into her sight, her heart dropped for she could see the wings on their back and knew things were not going to be good.

"Oh no," she gasped.

TBC…


	17. When the Action is Over

I know there are going to be a few people who are going to be quite upset with me because of this chapter. (By the way, there is a little mention of death in here.)

00000

Shentree began to limp over to the siblings, a furious look on her face. She knew exactly what was happening and she managed to take cover behind a pillar. She soon found herself standing above the unconscious forms of Legolas and Nanaylia.

"You were cruel for doing this to my kind. We were only trying to live!" Shentree snarled.

A sword was in her hands, picked off one of the guards who obviously thought he could use it. She lifted it up but before she could do anything, pain emitted from her chest. Shentree glanced down to see a sword protruding from her chest. She choked as she dropped the sword, narrowly missing Nanaylia's head.

"That is true, Shentree, but remember why you were thrown out of Shiloria in the first place. Now we will finally be rid of you," came Jarsay's voice.

The gargoyle gasped for air as she fell to the ground. Jarsay watched as she took a few more breaths before finally succumbing to the injuries. The guard hurried to Nanaylia's side, taking off his cape and placing it over her still body. Others made their way over to them, wondering what was going to happen. Jarsay watched them before his stare went to the nearby Legolas.

"Someone cover him up please! Allow the elf some dignity!" he barked at them. "Then follow me with him in hand!"

One soon complied with the request. Jarsay noticed it was the elf he had problems with earlier about the siblings' heritage. He gently picked up Nanaylia, who was looking at him with unseeing eyes.

"Jarsay…is it over?" she barely managed to say.

His ears picked up his name and he gave a smile, nodding as he ran through hallways. Along the way, the guards met up with a hysterical Alarya and Thranduil. Tears filled their eyes once they saw the condition their children were in.

"No! This cannot be! I will not allow it to end like this!" cried Alarya.

"Alarya, I do not think there is anything we can do," Thranduil choked.

The queen reluctantly stepped back before taking her husband into an embrace. The pair sobbed, not caring who saw them. Thranduil gently combed his fingers through her hair, wondering how he could comfort Alarya at this point but decided against it because he knew he wasn't going to be any better than what she was going to be.

"Thranduil…we have lost them both," she sobbed.

00000

Elrond hurried as fast as he could down the hallway. He had a bad feeling in his gut as he hurried towards Legolas and Nanaylia's room. He knew nothing except that the two were in dire need of medical attention.

"Elrond!" a voice called out.

The elf twirled around to find Jarsay and another guard running down the hall with the unconscious siblings. This horrified Elrond for he had never seen the two in a condition like this before.

"Jarsay, what happened to them?" he demanded.

"They cast a spell out of an ancient book, long since banned from here. I recognized the words. It killed just about all the gargoyles and it drained these two of their life," Jarsay explained.

Elrond paled at the words as the two were placed on the bed. Jarsay remained at the door while the other quietly left the scene. The head guard watched as Elrond frantically looked over the duo. His mind was racing as he rapidly went from brother to sister and back again.

As he looked over Legolas, he felt the brush of fingers on his arm. Elrond glanced down to see Legolas carefully watching him.

"Legolas how are you?" Elrond quickly questioned.

"Elrond…" he softly said. "Tell our parents that…"

Before he could finish, he coughed a few times and took one last gasp. Elrond tried to find a heartbeat or breathing – some indication that Legolas was still alive but he found none. Tears welled up in Elrond's eyes as he rushed over to Nanaylia and found her in the exact same state.

"How do I possibly tell Alarya and Thranduil that _both _of their children are dead?" whispered Elrond.

He slumped into a nearby chair as Jarsay cautiously stepped into the room. Elrond barely acknowledged his presence.

"You did all you could…just like I did. I did not believe they had much time left but I knew I had to call for you just the same. We were the last ones they managed to talk to. Take pride in that," Jarsay told him, his voice beginning to crack.

Elrond nodded before he left the room with Jarsay following close behind. The room was eerily still, save for only the gentle breeze blowing outside the window.

00000

The sun peeked out over the horizon, revealing the extent of the horror from the previous night. Several elves took the liberty of gathering the gargoyle bodies and burying them.

While this was happening, Alarya silently sat in a chair in the nursery, her cheeks streaked from all the crying. She stared at her granddaughter, who slept soundly in one of the cribs, completely unaware of the recent events. With her hands up cupped near her mouth, she slowly shook her head while the thoughts about her son-in-law raising the child alone raced through her mind. Elrond carefully watched from the doorway, a lump sitting in his throat over the loss.

"Within one short week, we received one valued gift just to lose two others," Alarya lamented.

"There was nothing I could really do, Alarya. They are still trying to figure out the terms of the spell but it appears it was designed with the gargoyles in mind. All those directly in its path were killed instantly," Elrond explained.

Alarya listened but nothing could comfort her grief over losing both of her children. She ran her fingers through her hair, unsure what to do next.

"Elrond, the word is slowly getting out that both of my children are dead. My granddaughter and her father are all Thranduil and I have left. How are we supposed to explain to either of them how Nanaylia and Legolas committed suicide to stop a war to save a people who refused to see past their differences?" she wondered.

He remained silent for the thought had crossed his mind. The elf was waiting for his son to awaken before telling him the news – news which he was dreading to tell.

00000

A moan escaped his lips and he slightly opened his eyes to see an elaborately decorated room. He turned his head enough to see the sun shining outside the window and a tiny smile crossed his face.

"Am I in Mandos' Hall?" he queried.

"Far from it, my dear son. You are in Shiloria, home of Alarya, its queen and your mother-in-law," a voice said.

Elladan moved his head to see his father, the smile disappearing from his face once he saw his father. The streaks down his cheeks and the puffiness in his eyes indicated something was terribly wrong. He slowly climbed to a sitting position, wondering what could have possibly occurred.

"Ada, what happened?" he demanded.

Elrond opened his mouth to speak but quickly closed it. What he had planned to say ran through his mind countless times and even though he prepared the words exactly, he still found it hard to form them.

"It must be bad, otherwise it would not be so hard to say," Elladan finally mused, the sadness creeping into his voice.

It took Elrond several long moments before he could find his voice. He rubbed his forehead as he glimpsed towards his son.

"Are you able to walk? It would probably be better to show you," he finally said.

Elladan climbed out of the bed and tentatively tested his balance. After a few steps, Elrond led his son down the hall. They came across several elves, who quickly stepped out of the way once they saw who was coming. Elladan was confused with the reactions as the two stepped up to a door.

The younger elf watched as his father hesitated for a moment before opening the door. Inside, they found three elves milling about and the two stepped up to them.

"I do believe you already know Chimone and Sarcoy. Elladan, this is Caldhan, another one of the queen's aides," Elrond introduced.

Elladan paid little attention to his father as his stare went to the bed, with two figures lying motionless underneath the covers. His hopes and heart both dropped, realizing the very few possibilities it could be. Elrond motioned for the others to leave, which they promptly did so before he observed his son. Elladan walked up to the bed and lifted the covers on both sides to reveal his wife and brother-in-law.

"No!" Elladan cried out.

"I am so sorry, son. There was nothing I could do to save either of them," Elrond apologized.

Elladan burst out into the tears, his knees buckling beneath him. Elrond managed to rush up and catch him before he completely hit the floor.

"They saved everyone. They risked their lives for the elves of Shiloria and managed to save you and protect your daughter in the process," Elrond said.

"But she will grow up, never really knowing how kind her mother and uncle were. Ada, I do not know how to proceed without Nanaylia," Elladan wept.

Elrond didn't say anything as he gently rubbed his son's back. Deciding it was the best time to leave, Elrond head toward the door. As he reached the door, a voice called out to him.

"Ada?"

Elrond turned to see Elladan staring at him and he gave a smile.

"Yes, Elladan?" he questioned.

"Do you still miss Mother?" he wondered.

Elrond faltered a moment, thinking about his own emotions before he finally gave his answer.

"Everyday."

Elladan watched as his father left the room, leaving him alone with the still bodies of Nanaylia and Legolas. He gently caressed her hair, thinking of all the things they wouldn't be able to do.

"Why, Nanaylia, why?" he asked, fully knowing he wasn't going to get an answer.

He gently kissed the side of her head before he slumped over her body, the sobs wracking his entire body. The tears flowed down his face and dripped off his chin. A few landed on his wife's face and chest. He was so engrossed with her, that he never noticed a figure silently walking up to him.

'_Elladan,'_ a voice called out.

It sounded to him as if it were carried on the wind. Elladan's head perked up, hoping to see where it came from. When he saw no one, he was confused until a bright light filled the room.

00000

_Elladan had to take another wide-eyed stare for all he saw was white. He had no sense of direction whatsoever and he saw no one else until he heard a growl in the distance. He looked to see a wolf sitting several feet from him. _

"_Who are you?" he questioned._

_Elladan watched as the wolf slowly changed into an elf, who gave a sad smile._

"_Hello Elladan, my name is Malak and I am protector of the royal family of Shiloria. I am the one who gave Legolas and Nanaylia the spell that ultimately killed them," the elf told him._

"_Some protector you turned out to be! You asked them to commit suicide and they did not even know it!" Elladan yelled at him._

_He wanted to punch the elf in the face right there but Malak walked up to him and placed a calming hand on his shoulder._

"_You are not going to do that," Malak told him. "Please allow me to explain."_

_When it appeared that Elladan was not going to make any sudden movements, Malak hesitantly continued._

"_I also gave your wife the necklace she wears right now because I knew it was the only thing that could counteract the effects of the spell she and Legolas cast. I was correct for the two of them have indeed proven themselves worthy," the older elf explained._

_Elladan couldn't help but laugh as he placed his hands on the back of his head. He stepped a short distance away from Malak before turning back around._

"_Are you telling me that a piece of jewelry was the key to my wife's survival?" Elladan wondered in total disbelief. "It looks like it certainly did not help her."_

"_It would not have worked immediately for it is a special necklace, even older than I. No one remembers who it belonged to or even how it came to be created. All I know is that it can grant an elf his or her deepest desire if they have earned it. The ultimate sacrifice your wife and brother-in-law gave by dying for the same elves who despised them for who they are has given them both the chance to get the desire they wanted the most," Malak explained._

"_And do you know what their wishes were?" Elladan asked._

_He still felt like punching the elf in the face over what he had done. All Malak could do was smile as he gently squeezed Elladan's shoulder._

"_You should understand one thing. I see bits and pieces of the future. I did see both Legolas and Nanaylia dying in last night's battle but I saw something else that happened shortly afterwards which I found quite interesting," Malak started._

"_And what would that be now?" retorted Elladan._

_Malak gave the younger elf a grin along with a laugh. He turned his attention back to their surroundings. Elladan followed his gaze to find the white slowly dissipating to reveal the room behind it._

"_Have faith, Elladan son of Elrond, for you are about to find out yourself," Malak stated._

_His body totally disappeared into thin air a moment before the white completely cracked around him. Elladan covered his head as shards began to rain down on him._

TBC…


	18. Reunions

Elladan's eyes snapped open as he jerked to a sitting position. He frantically searched the room for the visitor but he found no one besides himself and the siblings.

"I suppose I have always put faith in the magic Nanaylia possessed, back before Shiloria ever came into the picture. It all seemed so simple then," Elladan whispered.

His stare went downward, wanting to have one last moment with his wife when a gasp startled him out of his reverie. He paled once he saw Nanaylia rising from the bed. She stared at her arms with wide eyes before turning her attention to Elladan. They both laughed as they embraced each other.

"Elladan, I am truly alive. But how is this possible?" she asked.

"I am uncertain but right now, I do not care for I am glad to have you back," Elladan replied.

He hesitated for only a moment before fervently kissing her as Legolas sat up in the bed. He held a hand on his head and groaned at the mild vertigo.

"By the Valar, I do not care to go through that again," he sighed.

Legolas turned his head enough to see his sister and brother-in-law in their passionate embrace. He wasn't too sure what to make of it until a smile decided it for him. A knock came to the door, barely breaking the attention of the kissing elves.

As Nanaylia gently broke off their kiss, Elladan carefully pulled up the blanket and looked up only to find his father stepping inside. When he saw Legolas and Nanaylia sitting up in the bed, his jaw dropped to the floor.

"How is this even possible? I declared the two of you dead myself!" he gasped.

He rushed over to the bed and Legolas allowed the healer to inspect him. After a thorough examination of him, and her, Elrond determined they were in perfect health.

"I simply cannot believe it! When Jarsay brought you in here, you looked like death," Elrond told them. "Now you better get dressed. We have a mother and father to see."

00000

Alarya sat in her throne, a somber look on her face. A few servants milled about the room, but were careful to keep their distance. An elf gingerly stepped towards the queen, a tentative look upon his face.

"What do you wish Alkor? If you feel the need to talk about your cousins, I am certainly not in the mood," she sternly said.

"Aunt, I only hope to convey how sorry I am regarding my cousins. We were all wrong about them. The peoples of Middle Earth are not the same ones I heard about from my father and grandfather. In the end, I wish I could have known them better," he explained.

Their attention was diverted to the door as it slowly squeaked open to reveal Elrond. Behind him, stood Elladan and two cloaked figures.

"Alarya, could I talk to you for a moment…?" Elrond wondered as he glanced around the room. "...alone?"

The queen nodded as she ushered her nephew and the servants out of the room. As Elrond approached the queen, she could sense that his anxiety rose tenfold.

"These two elves have requested to see you. I could not tell them no," Elrond told her.

"Elrond, you of all elves should know that I am not in the mood for guests, particularly after last night's events," Alarya sighed.

Elrond smiled as he eyed his companions. He gave a deep sigh, unsure how he was going to continue. He took a few moments to think about what he planned to say next.

"Alarya, have I ever let you down before? Given any reason for you to doubt my actions?" he finally asked.

"Why, no, but that still doesn't explain…" she began.

She immediately stopped her speech, her voice suddenly unable to form anymore words as one of the figures threw back the hood.

"It is because we are alive," Legolas told her.

"B…but how can this be? I…I saw your bodies myself," stuttered Alarya.

"Find Ada and then we shall explain all that we can," Nanaylia replied, throwing back her hood as well.

The queen quickly nodded her head before running to the doors. Right outside, she found the servants, along with Alkor.

"Find Thranduil and tell him I need him immediately in here. Until I leave this room, we are not to be disturbed!" she ordered.

The elves nodded before the door slammed in their faces. They all wondered what Elrond could have possibly told her to give her this much energy.

00000

Thranduil ran down the hallway, eager to learn the news that Alarya had in store for him. As he came across the main court, he was greeted by two guards.

"My presence is required," Thranduil breathlessly told them.

They glanced at each other before allowing the king access. Inside, he was welcomed by quite the surprise in the form of his children.

"How…?" he started.

"That is quite the interesting tale, Ada. We do not even comprehend it ourselves yet," Legolas replied.

Thranduil was barely listening as he walked over to his children and pulled them into an enormous hug. Tears streamed down his face as Alarya, Elrond and Elladan looked on. As they released themselves from the hug, Thranduil took a deep breathe.

"So what happened exactly?" he wondered.

"We are unsure for the last thing we remember is performing the spell, and then it all went dark. After that, we appeared in a room with an elf sitting in a chair, clothed in white. He told us that it was not our time to head into Valinor, that our time in Middle Earth was not yet finished. The next thing we knew, we were laying in the bed with Elladan hovering over us," Nanaylia explained.

"That does not make much sense after what Malak told me," Elladan piped up.

The five elves turned in his direction, hoping for more clarification. Elladan quickly noticed his mother-in-law's disbelieving reaction and he narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"What exactly did this Malak tell you?" she demanded.

"Well, he told me the necklace was a source of great power, that someone who has proven themselves worthy enough will have their deepest desire granted," Elladan managed to explain.

Nanaylia and Legolas glanced at each other, unsure what to make of Elladan's encounter. She ran a hand through her hair as they wondered if they should say anything else but their answer soon came in the form of their mother.

"Legolas, Nanaylia, was this Malak the elf you mentioned to me yesterday?" she wondered,

The siblings guiltily stared at the floor, before nodding their heads. Alarya stepped up to her daughter and gently prodded at the necklace sitting upon her neck.

"It cannot possibly be him," she muttered.

Elrond stepped over to the queen, unsure to what she was referring. Placing a hand on her shoulder, she gave enough of a reaction to show she knew he was there.

"What is the matter? Who is Malak?" Elrond wondered.

"According to the stories, Malak was the protector of the royal family, well before I would have been born. He had the gift of prophecy and he knew just about every possible outcome to any scenario. Then one day, he was gone," she replied.

"Maybe he believed he could do a better job if his presence was not so obvious. If what he said about this necklace is true, it just may have saved our lives, Mother. The only thing I wanted when I cast the spell was simply to be with my family. You, Ada, Legolas, Elladan, my daughter and in-laws. Everyone. Legolas and I should be dead," Nanaylia explained to her.

As Nanaylia held out the necklace to her mother, Alarya gently took it from her daughter's hands and couldn't help but stare at it, the tears forming in her eyes. Everyone watched her as Alarya slowly sank into her chair.

"But Nanaylia, Malak is dead," she finally told them.

The End

There you go, it's over. I know I left it on a bit of a cliffhanger but hey. Hope everyone enjoyed it and I'll see you next time.


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